a«X$>X 

TRINITY  COLLEGE 
LIBRARY 


DURHAM,  NORTH  CAROLINA 


Rec’d.MC.V..  .1.2. 1902 


' } 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Duke  University  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/marthawashington01whar 


* 


WOMEN  OF  COLONIAL  AND 
REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES 


-X  A V • 


PORTRAIT  OF  MRS.  CUSTIS  (LATER  MRS.  WASHING- 
TON), PAINTED  BY  JOHN  WOOLASTON,  AND  NOW 
OWNED  BY  GENERAL  G.  W.  C.  LEE,  OF  LEXINGTON.  VA. 


# 

3 


WOMEN  OF  COLONIAL  AND 
REVOLUTIONARY  TIMESSSSB 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 

BY  ANNE  HOLLINGSWORTH  WHARTON 


WITH  PORTRAIT 


t/ 


CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 
NEW  YORK  MDCCCXCIX 


Copyright,  /S97,  by 
Charles  Scribner's  Sons 


fflni&crsitg  $rtss 

John  Wilson  and  Son,  Cambridge,  U.  S.A. 


TO  THE  MEMORY  OF 


MY  MOTHER 

THIS  STORY  OF  THE  LIFE  OF  A TRUE  WOMAN 
IS  DEDICATED 


WITH  REVERENT  AFFECTION 


PREFACE 


The  story  of  Martha  Washington' s life  has  not 
been  an  easy  one  to  tell , so  largely  has  she , as  a 
distinct  personality , been  overshadoived  by  the 
greater  importance  of  the  figure  that  has  stood 
beside  her.  As  the  ivife  of  Washington  she  has 
always  been  presented  upon  the  pages  of  history  ; 
and  thus,  with  true  wifely  devotion,  would  she 
have  chosen  to  stand.  Hence,  in  ivriting  of  Mrs. 
Washington , except  during  the  early  years  of  her 
life  in  Williamsburg,  the  author  has  unconsciously 
drawn  the  picture  of  husband  and  wife  together 
as  they  appeared  to  her  mind.  By  this  means 
have  come  to  us  some  glimpses  of  Washington  as 
husband,  host,  and  country  gentleman,  which 
have  added  not  a little  to  the  charm  of  a per- 
sonality that  has  sometimes  seemed  remote  and 
solitary  in  its  greatness. 

At  the  outset  of  her  task  the  biographer  was 
confronted  with  a serious  difficulty  from  the  ap- 
parent inadequacy  of  material,  in  the  form  of 
personal  and  family  letters,  all  of  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton's letters  to  her  husband  and  his  to  her  having 
been  destroyed  at  her  own  request,  while  some  of 

vii 


PREFACE 


her  nieces  completed  the  holocaust  by  making  a 
bonfire  of  nearly  all  the  family  letters.  In  the 
pursuance  of  this  work  there  has , however , come 
to  light  so  much  of  interest  in  contemporaneous 
descriptions , and  from  family  traditions  of  Mount 
Vernon  handed  down  from  one  generation  to 
another , while  the  few  letters  of  Mrs.  Washington' s 
that  have  escaped  destruction  are  so  characteristic , 
that  it  seems  possible  to  present  the  bare  outline 
of  facts,  long  known  to  the  world,  clothed  with 
some  charm  of  individuality  and  some  warmth 
of  human  interest. 

If  it  shall  be  the  writer's  good  fortune  to  give 
to  readers  of  to-day  a satisfactory  picture  of 
Mrs.  Washington  as  she  appeared  in  her  own 
home,  and  in  the  official  life  that  claimed  so 
much  of  her  time,  she  will  feel  that  the  many 
hours  passed  in  research  and  inquiry  have  not 
been  spent  in  vain. 

For  much  valuable  assistance  and  the  use  of 
some  original  letters,  the  writer  makes  grateful 
acknowledgments  to  Gieneral  Charles  W.  Darling, 
Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Oneida  Historical 
Society ; to  Dr.  Emory  McOlintock  and  Mr. 
Edmund  D.  Halsey,  of  the  Washington  Associa- 
tion of  Morristown,  N.  J. ; to  Mr.  Curtis  Gruild, 
of  Boston ; to  Miss  Frances  A.  Logan,  Mr. 
Ferdinand  J.  Dreer,  and  Mr.  Charles  Henry 
Hart,  of  Philadelphia ; to  Mr.  David  S.  Forbes, 

viii 


PREFACE 


of  Fredericksburg,  Virginia;  to  Mr.  Charles  W. 
Coleman  and  Dr.  Lyon  G.  Tyler,  of  Williams- 
burg, Virginia;  to  Mrs.  Martha  Custis  Carter , 
of  Washington,  D.  C. ; and  to  Mrs.  Sally  Nelson 
Robins  and  Mr.  W.  G.  Stanard,  of  Richmond. 

To  Mr.  William  S.  Baker,  of  Philadelphia, 
especial  thanks  are  due,  not  only  for  the  valuable 
information  gained  from  his  Itinerary  of  Gen- 
eral Washington  during  the  Revolution,  but  for 
the  use  of  the  sheets  of  his  most  interesting  un- 
published volume  upon  Washington  after  the  Revo- 
lution. The  list  is  long,  but  the  courtesies  shown 
to  the  writer  during  the  preparation  of  these 
pages  have  been  many. 

Among  authorities  consulted  have  been  the 
various  lives  of  Washington,  especially  those  of 
Irving,  Sparks , and  Lodge;  also  Recollections 
and  Private  Memoirs  of  Washington,  by  Gr.  W. 
P.  Custis  ; The  Writings  of  George  Washington, 
collected  and  edited  by  W.  C.  Ford ; Topogra- 
phy of  Washington1  s Camp  of  1780,  by  Emory 
McClintock,  LL.D.;  the  Story  of  an  Old  Farm, 
by  Andrew  Mellick ; Mary  and  Martha  Wash- 
ington, by  Benson  J.  Lossing ; Mrs.  Ellet's 
Women  of  the  Revolution ; Griswold's  Republi- 
can Court ; Martha  J.  Lamb's  History  of  New 
York ; the  History  of  New  York,  by  William  L. 
Stone;  the  Letters  and  Diaries  of  John  Adams  ; 
the  Letters  of  Abigail  Adams,  and  of  Charlotte 


IX 


PREFACE 


Chambers  ; the  Journal  of  William  Maclay  ; the 
Diaries  of  Christopher  Marshall , Jacob  Hiltz- 
heimer , Elizabeth  Drinker,  and  Mana sseh  Cutler  ; 
An  Excursion  to  the  United  States  of  America , 
179Jj.,  by  Henry  Wansey  ; the  Pennsylvania 
Magazine  of  History  and  Biography ; the  Amer- 
ican Magazine  of  History  ; the  Virginia  Historical 
Magazine ; Virginia  Collections ; the  William 
and  Mary  Quarterly  ; and  last , but  by  no  means 
least , many  newspapers  of  the  last  century. 

A.  H W. 


Philadelphia,  March,  1897. 


CONTENTS 


I— A LITTLE  VIRGINIA  MAID 

Life  in  the  Old  Dominion  — Knights  of  the  Golden 
Horseshoe  — Birth  and  Ancestry  of  Martha  Dandridge 
— Education  in  Colonial  Days  — Social  Life  in  Virginia 
— Williamsburg  the  Capital  — William  and  Mary  Col- 
lege — Bruton  Church  — The  Governor’s  Palace  ...  i 


II— AN  EARLY  MARRIAGE 

A Debutante  of  Fifteen  — The  Custis  Family  — An 
Eccentric  Couple  — Daniel  Parke  Custis  and  Evelyn 
Byrd  — Marriage  of  Martha  Dandridge  and  Daniel 
Parke  Custis  — Their  Children  — Happy  Married  Life 
— Death  of  Mr.  Custis  — Widowhood 14 


III— THE  YOUNG  VIRGINIA  COLONEL 

A Military  Hero  — Characteristics  and  Appearance  of 
Colonel  Washington  — Meets  Mrs.  Custis  — Her  Por- 
trait by  Woolaston — A Brief  Courtship — Early  Love 
Affairs  of  Washington  — A Colonial  Wedding  — The 
Six  Chimney  House  — Washington  takes  his  seat  in 
House  of  Burgesses 27 

IN— EARLY  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  NERNON 

Colonel  Washington  takes  his  Wife  to  Mount  Vernon  — 

Mrs.  Washington  and  her  Children  — Domestic  Let- 
ters— A Visit  to  Westmoreland  County  — Fashionable 
Garments  from  London  — A Busy  Couple  — Pleasures 
and  Hospitalities  of  Mount  Vernon  — Little  Martha 

Custis  — Church-going  — Benevolence 53 

xi 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 


IT— THE  SHADOW  OF  COMING  EVENTS 

The  Stamp  Act  — Non-importation  at  Mount  Vernon 
— John  Parke  Custis  and  Eleanor  Calvert  — Death  of 
Martha  Custis — Grief  of  Washington  — Marriage  of 
John  Parke  Custis — Mrs.  Washington’s  Letter  to  the 
Bride  — Washington  a Delegate  to  the  Congress  in 
Philadelphia  — Patriotism  of  Mrs.  Washington  — Gen- 
eral Washington’s  Letter  to  his  Wife  on  taking  Com- 
mand of  the  Army — His  Expressions  on  Married  Life  69 

VI — A JOURNEY  TO  CAMBRIDGE 

Lord  Dunmore  on  the  Virginia  Coast  — Mrs.  Washing- 
ton thought  to  be  in  Danger  — Sets  out  for  Cambridge 
— Reception  in  Philadelphia  — In  New  Jersey  — 
Reaches  Headquarters  — A Twelfth  Night  Party  — 
Friendship  formed  in  Camp  — Mrs.  Knox,  Mrs.  War- 
ren, Mrs.  Adams  — Mrs.  Washington  in  New  York  — 
Inoculated  for  Small-pox  in  Philadelphia  — Returns  to 
Mount  Vernon 88 


VII— CAMP  LIFE 

Mrs.  Washington  in  Morristown  — Social  Life  at 
Headquarters — Mrs.  Washington  and  the  Morristown 
Ladies — Patriotism  of  New  Jersey  Women  — Mrs. 
Washington  at  Valley  Forge  — Mrs.  Henry  Drinker 
visits  Headquarters  — Rejoicings  over  the  French  Al- 
liance— Mrs.  Washington  in  New  Jersey  the  Second 
Time — Describes  a Review  of  the  Troops  — The  Ford 
Mansion  — Mrs.  Washington’s  Visitors  — A Philadel- 
phia Sewing  Circle  — The  General  at  Mount  Vernon  — 
Surrender  of  Cornwallis  — Death  of  John  Parke  Custis 
— The  Washingtons  in  Philadelphia 109 


VIII— AFTER  THE  WAR 

Mrs.  Washington  at  Newburgh  — Camp  Gayeties  — 
Mrs.  Washington’s  Garden  — Illness  — Marriage  of 
Mrs.  Custis — Washington  resigns  his  Commission  — 
Husband  and  Wife  return  to  Mount  Vernon  — A Merrie 
Christmas  — Guests  at  Mount  Vernon  — Additions  to 
xii 


CONTENTS 


the  House  — Hospitality  of  the  Mansion  House — Mrs. 
Washington  as  a Hostess  — A Strict  Disciplinarian  — 
Anecdotes  of  Mount  Vernon  — A Visit  from  Lafayette 
— Death  of  Mrs.  Washington’s  Mother  and  Brother  — 
Marriage  of  Fanny  Bassett  — Two  Learned  Ladies 
visit  Mount  Vernon  — Portraits  of  Mrs.  Washington  — 

A Visit  to  Fredericksburg  — Report  of  the  Presidential 
Electors 143 


IX— LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 

Reluctance  of  the  General  and  Mrs.  Washington  to 
leave  Mount  Vernon — Mrs.  Mary  Washington’s  car- 
riage — A Journey  to  the  Capital  — Reception  of  Mrs. 
Washington  in  Baltimore  and  Philadelphia — Mrs. 
Robert  Morris  accompanies  Mrs.  Washington  to  New 
York  — Enthusiastic  Reception  in  New  Jersey  and 
New  York  — Executive  Mansion  — Etiquette  of  the 
First  Administration  — Drawing-Rooms,  Levees,  and 
Dinners  — Anecdote  of  the  Early  Shad  — Simplicity  of 
the  Washingtons  in  Private  Life  — Church-going  — 
Residence  of  John  Adams — A Summer  in  New  York 
— Theatre-going — Anecdote  of  Wignell  in  Darby’s 
Return — New  Year’s  Day  in  1790 — Guests  of  Mrs. 
Washington  and  Mrs.  John  Jay 182 


X— PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 

Remarks  of  Travellers  upon  New  York  and  Philadel- 
phia— High  Street  Residence  of  the  Washingtons  — 

The  President’s  Carriages  — Mrs.  Washington’s  Draw- 
ing-rooms in  Philadelphia  — City  Dancing  Assemblies 
— Miss  Chambers  describes  a Birth-night  Ball  — The- 
atres in  Old  Philadelphia  — Christ  Church  — Break- 
fasts and  Dinners  at  the  President’s — Honors  to  a 
Dead  Indian  — Visits  of  Ceremony  and  Friendship  — 

Mrs.  Washington’s  Grand-daughters  in  Philadelphia  — 
Yellow  Fever  — Death  of  Mrs.  Tobias  Lear  — German- 
town Residence — Letters  to  Mrs.  George  A.  Wash- 
ington— Young  Lafayette  in  America — Portraits  of 
the  President  and  Mrs.  Washington  — Last  Birthday 
in  Philadelphia  — Retirement  from  Office  — The  Wash- 
ingtons return  to  Mount  Vernon 218 

xiii 


CONTENTS 


XI— LAST  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  UERNON 

Mrs.  Washington’s  Happiness  in  her  Home  — Guests 
at  Mount  Vernon  — Mr.  Latrobe  visits  the  Washingtons 
— A Birth-night  Ball  in  Alexandria  — Journey  to  the 
Federal  City  — Mrs.  Washington’s  Letters  to  Mrs.  G. 
W.  Fairfax  and  Mrs.  Samuel  Powel  — Eleanor  Custis 
and  her  Lovers  — Her  Marriage  to  Lawrence  Lewis  — 
Mrs.  Carrington’s  Description  of  Mrs.  Washington  — 
Illness  and  Death  of  the  General  — Mr.  Lear’s  Descrip- 
tion of  his  Last  Hours — Mrs.  Washington’s  Letter  to 
Congress  about  Removing  his  Remains  to  Washington 
— The  Rev.  Manasseh  Cutler  visits  Mrs.  Washington 
— Death  of  Martha  Washington  — Notices  in  Journals 
of  the  Day 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


i 

A LITTLE  VIRGINIA  MAID 

A story  is  told  of  a worldly  minded  Virginia 
maiden,  who,  when  asked  by  a relative  anxious 
about  her  spiritual  condition  whether  she 
wished  “to  be  born  again,”  promptly  replied, 
“No,  because  I might  not  happen  to  be  born 
in  Virginia.” 

Although  many  of  the  distinctive  features 
of  the  life  in  the  Old  Dominion  have  passed 
away  with  the  exchange  of  manorial  homes 
upon  vast  estates  for  dwellings  in  cities,  and 
with  the  abolition  of  slavery  from  her  borders, 
Virginia  still  weaves  a charm  all  her  own  for 
those  who  love  to  wander  among  her  his- 
toric landmarks  and  listen  to  the  voices  of 
her  past. 

For  such  she  unfolds  many  a tale  of  love 
and  adventure  dating  back  to  the  early  set- 
tlers, some  of  whom  were  lured  hither  by 
traditions  of  a Southern  sea,  upon  whose  tran- 

1 1 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


quil  bosom  they  might  sail  away  to  China  and 
the  Indies,  — traditions  which  obtained  as  late 
as  the  time  of  Governor  Berkeley,  and  floated 
like  an  alluring  mirage  before  the  minds  of 
Alexander  Spotswood  and  his  Knights  of  the 
Golden  Horseshoe.  To  get  beyond  the  moun- 
tains to  the  lakes  was  the  avowed  object  of 
these  well-shod  equestrians;  but  the  picture 
of  the  good  Governor  and  his  followers  setting 
forth  upon  an  exploring  expedition,  and  loy- 
ally drinking  the  King’s  health  from  the  newly 
discovered  Mount  George,  has  about  it  a flavor 
of  the  adventurous  and  imaginative  spirit  of 
the  century  that  produced  Columbus  and  the 
Cabots,  and  that  led  Raleigh  and  De  Soto  to 
sail  strange  seas  in  search  of  new  paths  to 
the  treasures  of  Cathay.1 2 

1 A small  golden  horseshoe,  with  jewels  for  nail  heads,  was 
given  by  Governor  Spotswood  to  each  of  his  companions  upon 
their  return  from  their  famous  expedition  to  the  Western 
mountains.  The  motto  of  the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Horse- 
shoe was  Sic  juvat  transcendere  montes. 

Nathaniel  West  Dandridge,  a near  relative  of  Martha  Dan- 
dridge,  owned  one  of  these  golden  horseshoes.  The  Rev. 
Edward  Murdaugh  told  a member  of  the  Dandridge  family, 
some  thirty  years  since,  that  while  carrying  this  horseshoe 
from  the  bank  of  Williamsburg,  where  it  was  kept,  to  show 
it  to  an  old  lady,  he  dropped  it  in  the  street,  and  never  saw 
it  again.  He  said  that  he  never  after  walked  through  the 
streets  of  Williamsburg  without  thinking  of  it  and  hoping  to 
find  it ; but  the  golden  horseshoe,  like  Captain  Kidd’s  treas- 
ure, has  thus  far  eluded  the  most  diligent  searcher. 

2 


A LITTLE  VIRGINIA  MAID 


Into  this  old  Virginia  life,  into  the  best 
part  of  it,  was  born  a child  whose  name  was 
destined  to  become  a household  word  all  over 
the  land.  Little  Martha  Dandridge,  whose 
birth  is  recorded  in  the  family  Bible,  June  21, 
1731,  was  the  eldest  child  of  Colonel  John 
Dandridge  and  Frances  Jones,  who  were 
married  July  22,  1730. 

On  her  mother’s  side  Martha  came  of  a 
goodly  line  of  scholars  and  divines.  Her 
grandfather,  the  Rev.  Roland  Jones,  son  of 
another  Rev.  Roland  Jones,  of  Berford,  Oxford 
County,  England,  was  the  first  of  the  family 
to  come  to  America.  He  was  in  1633  grad- 
uated from  Merton  College,  Oxford,  whence 
he  came  to  Virginia  to  minister  in  Bruton 
Parish  from  1674  until  his  death  in  1688, 
as  is  recorded  upon  his  tombstone  in  that 
church.  Orlando  Jones,  son  of  Roland,  and 
grandfather  of  Martha  Dandridge,  was  bur- 
gess of  New  Kent  County  in  1718.  His  wife 
was  Martha  Macon,  daughter  of  Gideon  Macon, 
of  New  Kent  County,  secretary  to  Sir  William 
Berkeley.  To  this  maternal  grandmother 
Martha  Dandridge  was  indebted  for  her  good 
old  English  name. 

Colonel  John  Dandridge,  the  father  of 
Martha,  was  a planter  in  New  Kent,  and,  ac- 
cording to  recent  genealogical  investigations, 

3 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


was  a brother  of  the  Hon.  William  Dandridge 
of  Esling  Green,  King  William  County,  who 
married  Unity,  only  child  of  Colonel  Nathaniel 
West.  It  has  long  been  believed,  and  fre- 
quently stated,  that  Martha  Dandridge  was 
descended  from  the  noble  and  influential  West 
family,  of  which  Thomas,  third  Lord  Delaware, 
was  the  good  genius  of  the  early  Virginia 
settlements,  as  well  as  their  Governor  and 
Captain-General.  It  is  now  maintained  by  an 
excellent  authority  1 that  the  only  connection 
between  the  Dandridges  and  Wests  was  through 
the  marriage  of  the  Hon.  William  Dandridge 
to  Unity  West,  a great-great  niece  of  the  third 
Lord  Delaware.  This  William  Dandridge,  a 
brother  of  Colonel  John,  was  himself  a promi- 
nent figure  in  Virginia  history,  being  in  1727 
a member  of  the  Colonial  Council,  and  one 
of  the  commissioners  appointed  with  Colonel 
William  Byrd  to  settle  the  dividing  line 
between  his  own  Colony  and  North  Carolina. 
A few  years  later  he  entered  upon  a distin- 
guished career  of  naval  service.  From  1737 
until  his  death  in  1743,  Captain  William 
Dandridge  commanded  the  Wolfe,  the  South 
Sea,  and  the  Ludlow  Castle,  all  three  in  his 
Majesty’s  service.  While  in  command  of  the 

1 The  Dandridges  of  Virginia,  by  Wilson  Miles  Cary.  — 
“ William  and  Mary  Quarterly,”  July,  1896. 

4 


A LITTLE  VIRGINIA  MAID 


South  Sea  he  took  part  in  Oglethorpe’s  attack 
upon  St.  Augustine  and  Admiral  Vernon’s 
siege  of  Carthagena.  This  gentleman  and  his 
brother  John  used  the  arms  of  the  Dandridges 
of  Great  Malvern,  Worcestershire.  William 
Dandridge  settled  upon  one  side  of  the 
Pamunkey  River,1  near  West  Point,  which 
bore  the  name  of  his  wife’s  ancestors,  while 
Colonel  John  settled  upon  the  other  side  of 
the  same  river  in  New  Kent  County,  where 
his  children  were  born,  and  where  he  served 
as  county-clerk,  an  honorable  and  lucrative 
position  in  Colonial  days. 

Colonel  John  Dandridge  died  in  Fredericks- 
burg. His  tombstone,  in  St.  George’s  Church- 
yard, bears  the  following  inscription : — 

4 

“ Here  lies  interred  the  Body 
of  Col.  John  Dandridge 
of  New  Kent  County,  who 
Departed  this  life  the  31Bf  day 
of  August  1756,  aged  56  years.” 

1 Mr.  William  Wallace  Tooker  traces  hack  the  name 
Pamunkey  to  a curious  and  interesting  derivation.  He  says 
that  the  name,  originally  “ Uttamussack  at  Pamunkee,”  did 
not  designate  the  stream,  hut  the  triangular  peninsula  formed 
by  the  two  main  branches  of  the  river  York,  where  the  town 
of  West  Point  is  now  situated.  Here  Powhatan  and  his  tribes 
had  their  great  home  filled  with  images  of  their  kings  and 
devils,  and  tombs  of  their  predecessors,  and  here,  as  John 
Smith  related,  the  natives  received  him  when  a captive  “ with 
most  strange  and  fearful  conjurations,”  lasting  through  three 
days.  See  “ The  American  Antiquarian,”  September,  1895. 

5 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


As  the  Dandridge  family  lived  near 
Williamsburg,  which  in  addition  to  being 
the  capital  of  the  Colony  was  near  the  sea, 
and  consequently  in  more  frequent  communi- 
cation with  England  than  the  more  inland 
towns  of  Virginia,  we  may  believe  that  Martha 
enjoyed  all  the  advantages  of  a young  girl  in 
her  class  of  life,  in  days  when  classes  in  life 
were  more  distinctly  marked  than  in  our  own 
time. 

If  we  are  sometimes  puzzled  over  the  spell- 
ing of  the  few  letters  written  by  her  that  have 
come  down  to  this  generation,  and  fall  to  won- 
dering whether  the  little  lady’s  emphatic  ren- 
dering of  “do,”  “no,”  “go,”  and  like  words, 
which  she  usually  wrote  “ doe,  ” “ noe,  ” and 
“goe,”  was  an  indication  of  her  own  adminis- 
trative ability,  we  may  be  quite  sure  that 
she  was  thoroughly  trained  in  all  social  and 
domestic  accomplishments,  which  were  then 
considered  of  far  greater  importance  to  a 
woman  than  any  amount  of  book  learning. 

Why,  indeed,  should  we  regard  orthography, 
in  the  last  century,  as  a test  of  gentle  breed- 
ing, when  it  is  subject  to  variations  even 
among  students  of  to-day,  and  when  Queen 
Elizabeth,  a little  more  than  a century  earlier, 
wrote  “sovereign”  in  as  many  as  seven  differ- 
ent styles,  while  the  very  learned  Duchess  of 
6 


A LITTLE  VIRGINIA  MAID 


Norfolk,  when  she  desired  the  Earl  of  Esses 
to  accept  a gift  at  her  hands,  wrote,  with  a 
parsimony  of  lettering  out  of  all  proportion  to 
the  generosity  of  her  spirit,  “I  pra  you  tak 
hit  ” ! 

That  little  Miss  Dandridge  could  play  upon 
the  spinnet,  we  know,  as  she  spoke,  in  after 
life,  of  giving  lessons  upon  that  instrument  to 
her  granddaughter;  and  that  she  was  an  apt 
pupil  in  the  mysteries  of  cross,  tent,  and  satin 
stitch,  in  hem,  fell,  and  overseam,  — and  in- 
deed in  all  such  feats  of  the  needle  as  were 
considered  essential  to  a young  lady’s  equip- 
ment for  life  in  the  youth  of  our  great-grand- 
mothers, — is  proved  by  the  careful  instruction 
in  the  arts  of  “ stitchery  ” which  she  bestowed 
upon  her  granddaughters.  We  may  also  be 
quite  sure  that  her  dancing  was  unexceptional, 
as  this  accomplishment  then  formed  a more 
important  part  of  the  education  of  a young 
Virginian  lady  than  the  circle  of  the  sciences. 
Dr.  Franklin,  from  the  semi-Quaker  atmos- 
phere of  Philadelphia,  deemed  it  of  great  mo- 
ment that  his  daughter  Sally  should  have 
regular  instruction  in  this  art,  while  the  hours 
which  Mr.  Jefferson  desired  his  daughter  to 
devote  to  the  practice  of  certain  steps  were 
quite  out  of  proportion  to  those  allotted  to 
mental  exercises.  Hence,  although  we  find 

7 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


no  mention  of  Mrs.  Washington’s  having  en- 
tered into  the  dance  in  later  years,  when 
her  distinguished  husband  was  noted  for  the 
grace  and  elegance  with  which  he  stepped 
through  the  minuet  with  the  maids  and  matrons 
of  the  capital,  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that 
she  held  her  own  with  the  Virginia  belles  of 
her  time  in  this  as  in  all  other  accomplish- 
ments. The  Dandridge  and  other  estates 
upon  the  Pamunkey  were  near  enough  to 
Williamsburg  to  allow  their  owners  to  enter 
into  the  social  life  of  this  place,  which 
shared  with  Annapolis  the  honor  of  leading 
the  Virginia  fashions  of  the  day.  If  the 
English  Surveyor  of  Customs  wrote  from 
Annapolis  of  the  extravagance  of  its  inhabi- 
tants and  the  beauty  and  grace  of  its  wo- 
men, another  traveller  about  the  same  period 
descanted  upon  the  number  of  coaches  that 
crowded  the  deep  sandy  streets  of  Williams- 
burg, while  the  charms  of  its  daughters  have 
more  than  twice  been  “ sung  in  song,  rehearsed 
in  story.” 

Williamsburg  was  the  capital  of  Virginia 
until  1779,  despite  the  objections  raised  by 
those  who  considered  Jamestown,  Hampton, 
and  other  seaboard  towns  to  be  more  con- 
veniently situated. 

This  old  city,  laid  out  by  the  doughty  and 
8 


A LITTLE  VIRGINIA  MAID 


irascible  Nicholson,  with  its  streets  in  the 
form  of  a W and  M in  honor  of  the  Lord  and 
Lady  of  Virginia  proclaimed  in  1689,  and 
with  its  college  of  William  and  Mary  named 
after  the  same  royal  patrons,  is  still  suffi- 
ciently quaint  and  interesting  in  appear- 
ance to  recall  something  of  the  life  of  a place 
which  was  once  a centre  of  law,  learning,  and 
society.  William  and  Mary,  the  Alma  Mater 
of  many  distinguished  men,  as  she  stands 
upon  her  college  green,  which  is  adorned  with 
a statue  of  the  well -beloved  Botetourt,  wears 
an  appearance  of  age  beyond  her  years,  the 
original  structure,  planned  by  Sir  Christo- 
pher Wren  and  opened  in  1700,  having  been 
burned  down  and  rebuilt  several  times.  Near 
by  stands  the  home  of  George  Wythe,  in 
good  preservation,  and  the  old  Powder  Horn, 
restored  through  the  exertions  of  patriotic 
Virginia  women;  but  the  Six  Chimney  House, 
in  which  Martha  Washington  is  said  to  have 
spent  a part  of  her  second  honeymoon,  has  not 
one  brick  left  upon  another,  although  its  site 
is  to  be  found,  and  a large  yew-tree,  planted 
by  the  hands  of  its  former  mistress,  still 
stands  beside  what  was  once  the  entrance  to 
a hospitable  and  happy  home. 

The  spire  of  old  Bruton  church  draws  the 
stranger  irresistibly  to  enter  its  sacred  enclos- 

9 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


ure  and  wander  through  its  graveyard,  where, 
under  friendly  spreading  trees  and  beneath 
such  sculptured  and  emblazoned  marbles  as 
are  to  be  found  nowhere  else  in  America, 
sleep  Ludwells,  Pages,  Burwells,  Raes,  and 
Barradalls.  Dear  to  the  heart  of  Virginians 
is  this,  one  of  her  oldest  churches,  although 
it  is  some  years  younger  than  that  one,  long 
since  demolished,  which  was  erected  by  the 
early  settlers,  and  of  which  Colonel  Byrd 
wrote  in  his  cynical  fashion,  “they  extended 
themselves  as  far  as  Jamestown,  where,  like 
true  Englishmen  they  built  a Church  that 
cost  them  no  more  than  50  lbs  and  a tavern 
that  cost  them  500.” 

Some  of  the  catalpa  trees  which  bordered 
the  road  leading  to  the  “ Governor’s  Palace  ” 
are  still  standing;  but  not  a vestige  remains 
of  the  edifice  in  which  the  royal  governors  of 
Virginia  long  held  social  sway.1  Often  along 
this  shaded  drive  passed  fair  Rebecca  Burwell, 

J Upon  the  site  of  the  “ Governor’s  Palace  ” now  stands  a 
pathetic  little  monument  of  a mother’s  unselfish  devotion,  — 
the  “ Mattey  School.”  This  school  was  endowed  by  Mrs.  Mary 
Whaley,  in  memory  of  her  little  son  Matthew,  aged  nine. 
With  her  fifty  pounds’  endowment  she  left  directions  that  the 
“ neediest  children  ” of  the  parish  should  he  here  offered  in- 
struction in  the  art  of  reading,  writing,  and  arithmetic,  “for 
the  purpose  aforesaid,  to  Eternalize  Mattey’s  School  by  the 
name  of  Mattey’s  School  forever,”  as  is  narrated  in  the 
“William  and  Mary  Quarterly”  for  July,  1895. 

10 


A LITTLE  VIRGINIA  MAID 


whose  lovers  wrangled  about  her  almost  as 
much  as  the  wooers  of  the  lady  of  Odysseus; 
and  Mistress  Alice  Page  of  Rosewell,  who  had 
all  the  virtues  possible  to  womankind  inscribed 
upon  her  tombstone;  and  Colonel  William 
Byrd  and  his  wife,  and  lovely  Evelyn  Byrd; 
and  also  the  heroine  of  our  story  when  she  was 
a shy  girl  of  fifteen,  and  again  when,  as  a young- 
wife,  she  frequented  the  palace  with  her  first 
husband,  Colonel  Custis,  and  later  still  when, 
as  the  wife  of  Colonel  Washington,  she  paid 
her  respects  to  Governors  Fauquier,  Botetourt, 
and  Dunmore.  Along  this  same  drive  passed 
the  coach  of  my  Lady  Dunmore  and  her  daugh- 
ters on  their  way  to  a ball  given  them  in 
the  old  capitol  at  the  other  end  of  the  town, 
which  festivity  was  speedily  followed  by  a day 
of  fasting  and  prayer  for  the  Colonies,  the 
election  of  delegates  to  a general  congress, 
and  an  inglorious  flight  in  the  Fowey  of  the 
last  royal  governor  of  Virginia,  who,  like 
another  child  of  monarchy  in  France  a few 
years  later,  failed  to  appreciate  the  difference 
between  a rebellion  and  a revolution,  even 
when  the  storm  was  beating  about  his  own 
ears. 

Not  many  miles  from  Williamsburg  on  the 
James  are  a number  of  fine  old  homesteads, 
where  in  the  palmy  days  of  old  Virginia  their 

11 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


owners,  surrounded  by  large  plantations  and 
attended  by  retinues  of  servants,  lived  a life 
nearly  approaching  that  of  the  English  country 
gentleman.  Upon  the  Pamunkey  and  York 
also  were  numerous  estates,  while  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Chesapeake,  upon  that  long- 
peninsula  curiously  named  the  Eastern  Shore 
of  Virginia,  were  the  homes  of  the  Custis 
family  and  others  of  high  degree.  From  these 
plantations  near  by,  and  from  others  more 
remote,  representative  Virginians,  members 
of  the  House  of  Burgesses,  came  regularly  to 
Williamsburg,  bringing  their  families  with 
them  to  take  part  in  any  especial  gayeties  that 
might  occur  during  the  sessions  of  the  legisla- 
ture, or  to  enjoy  the  play.1 

In  such  an  atmosphere  as  this,  and  amid 
such  surroundings,  refined  and  elegant  in 
some  respects,  crude  and  unfinished  in  others, 
little  Martha  Dandridge  was  born  and  bred. 
In  the  most  aristocratic  circle  of  this  most 
essentially  aristocratic  and  English  of  the 
Colonies,  from  which  wealthy  planters  sent 
their  sons  abroad  to  complete  their  educations, 
and  were  proud  to  have  it  reported  in  the  local 

1 Although  the  drama  seems  to  have  begun  its  American 
career  in  Annapolis,  theatrical  representations  were  given  in 
Williamsburg  as  early  as  1752,  when  two  English  stars, 
Lewis  Hallam  from  Goodman’s  Fields  Theatre,  and  Mrs. 
Douglass,  appeared  together  upon  the  boards. 

12 


A LITTLE  VIRGINIA  MAID 


gazette  that  they  had  been  presented  at  court 
and  bent  the  knee  to  royalty,  numbering 
among  her  relatives  many  who  held  high  posi- 
tions under  the  King,  and  were  among  his 
most  loyal  subjects,  grew  to  gracious  woman- 
hood the  future  wife  of  the  great  soldier  and 
leader  of  the  Revolution. 


13 


II 


AN  EARLY  MARRIAGE 

All  chronicles  agree  in  stating  that  Miss 
Dandridge  made  her  d6but  at  the  capital  dur- 
ing the  administration  of  Governor  Gooch,  and 
at  an  age  when,  according  to  modern  ideas, 
she  should  still  have  been  in  the  nursery 
with  her  younger  brothers  and  sisters. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  no  picture  or 
description  has  come  down  to  us  of  the  fif- 
teen-year-old debutante  in  her  stiff  bodice  and 
flowered  petticoat,  who  made  her  quaint  little 
courtesy  at  the  court  in  Williamsburg,  which 
the  magnates  of  old  Virginia  considered  only 
second  in  importance  to  that  of  St.  James. 
A childish  portrait  of  Martha  Dandridge,  how- 
ever, has  recently  been  discovered,  quaint  and 
not  unattractive. 

If  a good  fairy  ih  the  form  of  some  super- 
stitious old  Virginia  “mammy,”  endowed 
with  the  gift  of  second  sight,  foretold  the 
future  of  this  little  girl  of  eight,  her  relatives 
and  friends  must  have  laughed  incredulously 
at  the  career  of  prosperity,  influence,  and 

14 


AN  EARLY  MARRIAGE 


honor  that  was  predicted  for  her.  The  record 
of  no  such  prophecy  has  come  down  to  us, 
nor,  indeed,  of  anything  relating  to  her  early 
years.  As  a rule,  the  sayings  and  doings  of 
the  woman-child  were  not  considered  of  suffi- 
cient importance  to  be  chronicled  in  the  days 
in  which  she  lived,  or  even  to  be  handed 
down  from  mother  to  daughter.  No  parents’ 
dreams,  as  prophetic  as  those  of  the  dreamer 
of  Israel,  foretold  for  her  future  greatness,  nor 
did  an  enthusiastic  Weems  arise  to  illumine 
little  Martha  Dandridge’s  girlhood  with  ro- 
mance and  fable,  as  in  the  case  of  her  future 
husband,  although  this  same  biographer,  de- 
scribing her  in  after  life,  says,  “I  could 
never  look  on  her  without  exclaiming  with  the 
poet,  — 

‘ She  was  nearest  heaven  of  all  on  earth  I knew ; 

And  all  but  adoration  was  her  due.’  ” 

As  the  Rev.  Mr.  Weems’s  Life  of  Washing- 
ton was  largely  an  imaginative  production, 
and  as,  according  to  the  testimony  of  sev- 
eral historians,  he  was  never  rector  of  Mount 
Vernon  Parish,  as  he  styled  himself,  and 
did  not  see  much  of  General  Washington  at 
any  period  of  his  life,  it  is  safe  to  believe 
that  he  knew  even  less  of  the  lady  for  whom 
he  expressed  such  enthusiastic  admiration. 

Martha  Dandridge  was  of  small  stature, 

15 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


like  all  the  women  of  her  family,  and  slight 
in  early  life,  with  light-brown  hair  and 
hazel  eyes.  The  eldest  daughter  of  a large 
family  of  brothers  and  sisters,  she  was  capable 
and  mature  beyond  her  years,  and  far  too 
sensible  to  allow  her  head  to  be  turned  by  the 
many  compliments  paid  her.  We  read  that 
she  was  soon  recognized  as  a reigning  belle 
in  the  small  world  of  Williamsburg,  where  she 
straightway  engaged  the  affections  of  one  of 
its  most  desirable  partis , Mr.  Daniel  Parke 
Custis. 

The  family  with  which  Miss  Dandridge  was 
soon  to  be  allied  deserves  more  than  passing 
mention.  John  Custis,  the  first  whose  name 
appears  in  Virginia,  was  from  Rotterdam, 
although  the  family  seems  to  have  been  of 
English  origin.  John  Custis  of  Rotterdam 
was  in  Virginia  in  1640,  and  here  three  of  his 
six  sons  settled,  — John,  William,  and  Joseph. 
John,  the  ancestor  of  Daniel  Parke  Custis, 
was  sheriff  of  Northampton  County,  a member 
of  the  Governor’s  Council,  and  in  1676 
Major-General  in.  Bacon’s  Rebellion.  His 
tomb  stands  at  Arlington  upon  the  Eastern 
Shore  of  Virginia,  and  records  these  and 
other  facts.  The  Custis  arms,  three  parrots, 
are  engraved  upon  his  tombstone,  as  upon 
another  near  by,  under  which  lie  the  remains 
16 


AN  EARLY  MARRIAGE 


of  Colonel  John  Custis,  grandson  of  the  old 
councillor,  himself  a King’s  Councillor.  This 
latter  headstone  bears  the  following  unique 
inscription : — 

Beneath  this  marble  tomb  lies  ye  body 
of  THE  HONORABLE  JOHN  CUSTIS,  Esq., 
of  the  City  of  Williamsburg  and  Paeish  of  Bruton 
Formerly  of  Hungars  Parish  on  the  Eastern  Shore 
of 

Virginia  and  the  County  of  Northampton  the 

PLACE  OF  HIS  NATIVITY. 

Aged  71  Years  and  yet  lived  but  seven  years 
Which  was  the  space  of  time  he  kept 
A Bachelor’s  House  at  Arlington 
On  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Virginia. 

This  information  put  on  this  tomb  was  by  his 
own  positive  order. 

As  Colonel  John  Custis  was  born  in  1678, 
and  married  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight,  the  sin- 
gular reference  to  but  seven  years  of  living  evi- 
dently refers  to  the  years  intervening  between 
his  majority  and  his  marriage  to  Frances 
Parke  in  1706.  This  lady,  beautiful  and  well 
born,  was  possessed  of  an  uncertain  temper; 
or  perhaps  it  would  be  more  correct  to  say  of 
a certain  shrewish  temper,  which  she  seems  to 
have  inherited  from  no  stranger,  as  her  father, 
Daniel  Parke,  who  rejoiced  in  the  title  of 
“Capt.  Generali  and  Chief  Governor  of  the 

2 17 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Leeward  Islands,”  is  spoken  of  as  “a  sparkish 
gentleman  around  town,  who  knowing  some- 
thing of  the  art  of  fencing  was  as  ready  to 
give  a challenge,  especially  before  company, 
as  the  greatest  Hector  in  Williamsburg.” 

In  writing  of  the  governorship  of  Sir  Edmund 
Andros  in  Virginia,  Dr.  Lyon  G.  Tyler  re- 
lates the  following  instance  of  the  ungovern- 
able temper  of  this  gentleman : — 

‘‘With  a view  to  recommend  himself  to  the 
Governor’s  favor,  young  Parke  undertook  a cru- 
sade of  insult  against  all  friends  of  the  College 
[William  and  Mary].  He  abused  and  challenged 
to  mortal  combat  Francis  Nicholson,  who  was  then, 
though  Governor  of  Maryland,  a member  of  the 
Board  of  Visitors  and  Governors  of  the  Institu- 
tion; and  at  length  to  vent  his  ill  humor  against 
Dr.  Blair  personally,  whose  gown  protected  him 
from  challenges,  he  set  up  a claim  to  the  pew  in 
church  in  which  Mrs.  Blair  sat,  and  one  Sunday 
with  great  fury  and  violence,  pulled  her  out  of  it 
in  the  presence  of  the  minister  and  congregation, 
who  were  greatly  scandalized  at  this  ruffian  and 
profane  action. ” 

This  gentleman,  w7ho  was  upon  occasions 
capable  of  such  ungentlemanly  behavior,  wrote 
his  daughter  Frances  long  letters  from  abroad, 
giving  her  many  pages  of  good  advice  upon 
her  deportment,  which  was  easier  than  coming 
18 


AN  EARLY  MARRIAGE 


home  to  instruct  her  himself,  as  he  evidently 
found  the  atmosphere  of  foreign  courts  more 
congenial  than  the  crudities  of  the  trans- 
planted sort.  Colonel  Parke  remained  in 
England  many  years,  was  appointed  aide-de- 
camp  to  the  Duke  of  Marlborough,  attended 
him  in  the  battle  of  Blenheim,  and  bore  back 
to  Queen  Anne  tidings  of  the  great  victory. 
For  this  service  his  Sovereign  Lady  rewarded 
the  messenger  by  giving  him  her  miniature 
set  in  diamonds,  a gift  which  appears  in 
Kneller’s  portrait  of  this  magnificent  gentle- 
man, hung  upon  a red  ribbon  about  his  neck, 
where  it  accords  well  with  the  sumptuous 
costume  of  crimson  velvet,  embroidered  in 
gold,  which  adorns  his  handsome  person. 
Colonel  Parke  afterwards  received  a general’s 
commission,  and  was  made  governor  of  the 
Leeward  Islands,  where  he  lost  his  life  in  an 
uprising  of  the  people.  Of  the  two  daughters 
who  survived  him,  Lucy  had  become  the 
second  wife  of  Colonel  William  Byrd  of  West- 
over,  and  Frances  had  married  Colonel  John 
Custis  of  Williamsburg. 

A florid  and  impassioned  epistle  addressed 
by  Colonel  Custis  to  his  lady-love  is  still  pre- 
served among  their  descendants,  in  which 
occurs  the  following  unique  period : “ May 
angels  guard  my  dearest  ‘ Fidelia,  ’ and  deliver 

19 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


her  safe  to  my  arms  at  our  next  meeting;  and 
sure  they  won’t  refuse  their  protection  to  a 
creature  so  pure  and  charming  that  it  would 
be  easy  for  them  to  mistake  her  for  one  of 
themselves.”  Despite  this  and  other  hyper- 
bolic protestations,  a tradition  exists  to  the 
effect  that  the  lover  was  well  aware  of  the 
unangelic  disposition  of  his  mistress,  and 
married  her  with  the  avowed  intention  of  sub- 
duing the  high  spirit  of  the  beautiful  Virginia 
Katherine ; but  being  less  happy  in  his  methods 
than  Shakspeare’s  hero,  he  was  obliged  to 
admit  his  defeat,  and  content  himself  with 
the  petty  post-mortem  revenge  inscribed  upon 
his  tombstone. 

Daniel  Parke  Custis,  the  child  of  a union 
of  these  somewhat  tumultuous  elements,  was  an 
amiable  and  estimable  gentleman,  universally 
respected,  and  although  many  years  her  senior, 
possessed  sufficient  attractions  of  mind  and 
person  to  recommend  himself  to  the  girl  of 
sixteen  whom  he  desired  to  make  his  wife. 
Handsome,  well  bred,  and  with  family  connec- 
tions equal  to  his  own,  Miss  Dandridge  seemed 
a most  suitable  wife  for  Mr.  Custis ; but  true 
to  himself,  Colonel  John  placed  obstacles  in 
the  way  of  the  marriage  of  these  true  lovers. 
Earlier  in  life  — for  Daniel  Parke  Custis  was 
nearly  thirty  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his 
20 


AN  EARLY  MARRIAGE 


courtship  — his  father  had  entertained  definite 
matrimonial  views  for  his  son,  earnestly  ad- 
vocating an  alliance  with  his  cousin,  Evelyn 
Byrd,  daughter  of  the  eccentric  and  original 
Colonel  William  Byrd,  of  Westover,  whose 
early  notes  of  travel  have  made  him  a sort  of 
Sir  John  Mandeville  in  Virginia  history.  The 
fact  that  Miss  Evelyn  Byrd  was  several  years 
her  cousin’s  senior,  and  that  the  young  people 
entertained  no  special  affection  for  each  other, 
counted  for  nothing  with  these  royally  auto- 
cratic parents,  who  looked  upon  the  marriage 
of  their  children  as  a most  desirable  union  of 
two  fine  estates  and  aristocratic  families. 
Young  Custis  is  said  to  have  been  averse  to 
this  marriage  of  convenience,  and  his  cousin, 
who  cherished  a hopeless  attachment  for  an 
English  gentleman  of  noble  family,  was  no 
more  willing.  Finally  the  ambitious  designs 
of  the  two  parents  were  frustrated  by  the  fail- 
ing health  and  early  death  of  Evelyn  Byrd, 
whose  portrait  is  still  to  be  seen  at  Brandon, 
Virginia,  and  is  doubly  attractive  from  the 
halo  of  traditional  love  and  constancy  that  ac- 
centuates its  romantic  and  touching  beauty. 

From  the  meagre  outlines  left  us  of  the 
wooing  and  winning  of  Martha  Dandridge,  it 
appears  that  even  at  this  early  age  she  exer- 
cised the  judgment  and  tact  which  served  her 
21 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


so  well  in  all  her  after  life.  Some  words  of 
hers  either  spoken  or  written,  at  this  time, 
reached  the  ears  of  Colonel  John  Custis,  and 
impressed  him  so  favorably  that  he  soon  after 
gave  his  consent  to  the  marriage.  A memo- 
randum fn  the  handwriting  of  the  old  Coun- 
cillor is  still  preserved,  which  reads:  “I  give 
my  free  consent  to  the  union  of  my  son  Daniel 
with  Miss  Martha  Dandridge,”  while  a friend 
and  intermediary,  Mr.  Power,  wrote  to  the 
anxious  lover:1 — 

Dear  Sir,  — This  comes  at  last  to  bring  you  the 
news  that  I believe  will  he  most  agreeable  to  you 
of  any  you  have  ever  heard  — that  you  may  not  he 
long  in  suspense  I shall  tell  you  at  once  — I am 
empowered  by  your  father  to  let  you  know  that  he 
heartily  and  willingly  consents  to  your  marriage 
with  Miss  Dandridge  — that  he  has  so  good  a 
character  of  her,  that  he  had  rather  you  should 
have  her  than  any  lady  in  Virginia — nay,  if  pos- 
sible, he  is  as  much  enamoured  with  her  character 
as  you  are  with  her  person,  and  this  is  owing  chiefly 
to  a prudent  speech  of  her  own.  Hurry  down  im- 
mediately for  fear  he  should  change  the  strong 
inclination  he  has  to  your  marrying  directly.  I 
stayed  with  him  all  night,  and  presented  Jack  with 
my  little  Jack’s  horse,  bridle,  and  saddle,  in  your 
name,  which  was  taken  as  a singular  favor.  I 

1 Recollections  of  Washington,  by  G.  W.  P.  Custis,  p.  20. 

22 


AN  EARLY  MARRIAGE 


shall  say  no  more,  as  I expect  to  see  you  soon  to- 
morrow, but  conclude  what  I really  am, 

Your  most  obliged  and  affectionate  humble  servant, 

J.  Power. 

To  Colonel  Daniel  Paeke  Custis,  New  Kent. 

Colonel  John  Custis  seems  never  to  have 
had  reason  to  regret  his  consent  to  his  son’s 
marriage,  and  was  among  the  first  to  bless  and 
kiss  the  fair  girl  bride,  when  the  wedding 
was  solemnized,  in  1749,  at  St.  Peter’s  Church 
in  New  Kent  County,  amid  the  verdure  and 
beauty  of  a Virginia  June. 

Mr.  Custis  took  his  wife  to  his  home,  the 
White  House,  upon  the  banks  of  the  York 
River,  and  here  and  in  the  Six  Chimney 
House  in  Williamsburg  they  spent  the  happy, 
fleeting  years  of  their  brief  married  life.1 


1 Mr.  Daniel  Parke  Custis,  in  addition  to  his  broad  acres, 
owned  a house  in  Williamsburg,  called  the  Six  Chimney  House, 
and  a country  place  on  the  York  River,  which  was  always 
spoken  of  as  the  White  House.  Both  of  these  houses  were  be- 
queathed by  him  to  his  wife  and  children.  The  White  House 
seems  to  have  been  the  constant  residence  of  Mrs.  Custis  dur- 
ing her  widowhood,  and  here,  according  to  Bishop  Meade,  her 
second  marriage  was  solemnized.  A fanciful  connection  be- 
tween the  name  of  this  home  of  Mrs.  Custis  and  that  of  the 
White  House  in  the  District  of  Columbia  has  been  advanced 
by  a recent  writer,  who  says  that  Washington  desired  the 
official  residence  of  the  presidents  of  the  United  States  to  be 
so  named  in  memory  of  the  pleasant  Virginia  home  in  which 
his  happiness  was  consummated.  It  is  needless  to  say  that 
there  is  no  foundation  whatever  for  this  ingenious  theory. 

23 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


No  letters  written  by  Mrs.  Custis  during 
the  period  of  her  first  marriage  are  to  be 
found ; which  may  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact 
that  she  lived  so  near  her  own  family  that  it 
was  not  necessary  to  communicate  with  them 
to  any  extent  by  letter.  Living  in  or  near 
Williamsburg,  and  being  connected  by  birth 
and  early  association  with  its  official  circles, 
Colonel  and  Mrs.  Daniel  Parke  Custis  natu- 
rally entered  into  the  social  life  of  the  capi- 
tal. Governor  Dinwiddie  appointed  the  Colo- 
nel to  a seat  in  his  Council,  but  failing  health 
prevented  him  from  entering  into  the  duties 
and  honors  of  a position  that  had  come  to  be 
almost  an  inheritance  in  his  family. 

Pour  children  were  born  to  this  couple. 
Frances  Parke  and  Daniel  Parke  Custis  died 
in  early  childhood,  as  we  read  upon  their  tomb- 
stones in  Bruton  churchyard.1  Martha  and 
John  Parke  Custis  survived  their  father,  who 
died  in  the  spring  of  1757.  After  less  than 
ten  years  of  married  life,  ended  this  union 
which  had  been  entered  into  under  such  fa- 
vorable auspices;'  and  at  the  age  of  twenty - 

1 These  little  children  were  buried  in  the  grounds  of  Mars- 
ton  Church,  near  the  White  House.  Within  a few  years  their 
tombs  have  been  restored,  and  their  remains  removed,  with 
those  of  their  grandmother,  Frances  Parke  Custis,  to  Bruton 
churchyard,  through  the  exertions  of  an  influential  member 
of  The  Virginia  Society  for  the  Preservation  of  Antiquities. 

24 


AN  EARLY  MARRIAGE 


five  Mrs.  Custis  was  left  a widow  with  two 
little  children.  Colonel  Custis,  who  was  as 
exact  in  business  affairs  as  he  was  estimable 
and  gentle  in  domestic  life,  left  an  extensive 
and  valuable  estate,  of  which  his  wife  was 
sole  executrix.  From  letters  which  passed 
between  Mrs.  Custis  and  her  business  agent 
and  chief  adviser  and  friend,  Mr.  Robert 
Carter  Nicholas,  of  James  City,  it  appears 
that  she  attended  personally  to  the  adminis- 
tration of  her  own  and  her  children’s  estate, 
making  loans  on  mortgage  of  moneys,  and 
through  her  stewards  and  agents  conducting 
the  sales  or  exportation  of  her  crops  to  the 
best  possible  advantage.  In  addition  to  his 
large  landed  estate,  Colonel  Daniel  Parke 
Custis  left  thirty  thousand  pounds  sterling- 
in  money  to  his  wife,  and  half  that  sum  to 
their  only  daughter,  Martha. 

From  the  time  of  Colonel  Custis’s  death  to 
the  meeting  between  his  widow  and  Colonel 
Washington,  which,  according  to  the  best  au- 
thorities, took  place  in  May,  1758,  we  find  no 
record  of  the  life  of  Martha  Custis.  She 
probably  passed  these  early  months  of  sor- 
row in  great  seclusion,  a luxury  which  was 
not  permitted  her  after  the  first  year  of  widow- 
hood, as  we  find  her  visiting  at  the  house 
of  her  neighbor,  Major  Chamberlayne,  less 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


than  eighteen  months  after  her  husband’s 
death. 

Young,  handsome,  and  reputed  the  wealthiest 
widow  in  Virginia  in  days  when  the  single 
state  was  not  regarded  as  one  of  blessedness 
for  either  man  or  woman,  it  is  reasonable  to 
believe  that  many  suitors  knocked  at  the  door 
of  the  White  House,  the  favorite  residence  of 
Mrs.  Custis  during  her  widowhood,  when  the 
first  year  of  mourning  was  well  over.  We 
hesitate  to  indulge  in  surmise,  and  yet,  read- 
ing between  the  lines  of  the  scant  chronicle, 
we  venture  to  assume  the  probability  that  she 
had  taken  refuge  with  her  friend  and  neighbor, 
Major  Chamberlayne,  in  order  to  escape  the 
importunities  of  some  too  persistent  swain, 
and  thus,  like  many  another  woman,  fled 
from  her  fate  only  to  find  it  awaiting  her  at 
the  end  of  her  journey,  as  here  it  was  that 
she  met  Colonel  Washington. 


26 


Ill 


THE  YOUNG  VIRGINIA  COLONEL 

Among  cherished  traditions  of  the  old  town 
of  Fredericksburg,  there  is  one  to  the  effect 
that  Colonel  Washington  first  met  Mrs.  Custis 
at  Chatham,  the  home  of  Colonel  William 
Fitzhugh,  when  she  was  paying  a visit  there 
during  her  husband’s  life.  There  is  no  proof 
whatever  of  any  such  meeting,  while  it  is 
more  than  pi’obable  that  both  Colonel  and 
Mrs.  Custis  had  met  the  young  Virginia  sol- 
dier upon  the  occasion  of  one  or  the  other  of 
Washington’s  visits  to  the  Governor  at  Wil- 
liamsburg, as  we  learn  from  his  diary  that  he 
was  there  upon  official  business  in  1754,  after 
his  expedition  to  the  Ohio  and  the  disastrous 
affair  of  Great  Meadows.  Whatever  military 
critics,  French  and  English,  said  or  thought  of 
the  young  officer’s  management  of  this,  his 
first  campaign,  the  Virginia  House  of  Burgesses 
had  no  word  of  censure  for  the  gallant  if  some- 
what rash  soldier,  as  he  soon  after  received  a 
vote  of  thanks  for  his  services,  and  money  for 


27 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


his  men.  From  that  other  disaster,  which 
came  in  the  next  year,  when  Braddock  led 
the  Colonial  forces,  Washington  alone,  says 
Mr.  Lodge,  emerged  with  added  glory,  being 
offered  upon  his  return  the  command  of  all 
the  Virginia  troops  upon  his  own  terms. 
Hence  if  Mrs.  Custis  met  Colonel  Washington 
during  the  years  of  her  married  life,  he 
appeared  before  her  in  the  light  of  a military 
hero,  which,  perhaps  for  some  reason  having 
its  origin  far  back  in  the  dim  and  early 
struggles  of  the  race,  in  days  when  “might 
made  right,”  is  the  sort  of  a hero  that  has 
always  excited  the  admiration  of  the  gentlest 
and  most  peace-loving  of  womankind. 

Whether  or  not  the  young  widow  had 
met  Colonel  Washington  prior  to  their  mo- 
mentous encounter  at  Major  Chamberlayne’s 
house,  she  had  lived  too  much  in  official 
circles  not  to  know  by  reputation  the  offi- 
cer whom  Virginia  most  delighted  to  honor. 
Now,  in  addition  to  his  military  renown,  high 
character,  and  advantages  of  birth  and  breed- 
ing, Washington  appeared  before  her  in  all 
the  grace  and  vigor  of  his  superb  man- 
hood. All  authorities  agree  that  his  figure 
and  bearing  were  most  distinguished.  Stand- 
ing six  feet  two  inches,  spare  rather  than 
stout,  with  limbs  of  noble  mould,  the  young 
28 


THE  YOUNG  VIRGINIA  COLONEL 


soldier’s  form  and  face  most  harmoniously 
combined  strength  and  endurance  with  grace, 
ease,  and  dignity.  Washington’s  dignity  was 
inherent,  an  altogether  natural  manifestation 
of  his  high  character  and  natural  self-respect. 
Whatever  graces  of  manner  he  possessed  were 
probably  acquired  by  his  close  and  familiar 
companionship  with  his  half-brother,  Lawrence 
Washington,  of  Mount  Vernon,  and  through 
his  intimate  acquaintance  with  Lord  Fairfax, 
who,  having  come  from  court  circles  of  the 
Old  World  to  live  the  life  of  a recluse  upon  his 
estate  in  Virginia,  welcomed  to  his  heart  and 
home  this  young  man,  in  whom  he  seems  to 
have  found  early  promise  of  future  greatness. 

Mr.  Custis,1  of  Arlington,  the  adopted  son 
of  Washington,  says  that  the  equestrian  por- 
trait painted  by  Trumbull  in  1790,  and  an 
engraving  by  Loisier,  from  a painting  by 
Coignet,  a French  artist,  are  the  only  two 
portraits  that  fairly  represent  the  General’s 

1 George  Washington  Parke  Custis,  known  in  his  later 
years  as  Mr.  Custis  of  Arlington,  his  beautiful  home  near 
Washington,  D.  C.,  having  been  named  after  the  Custis  estate 
upon  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Virginia,  was  the  grandson  of  Mrs. 
Washington,  and  the  adopted  son  of  the  General.  In  his 
Recollections  of  Washington,  Mr.  Custis  has  related  so  much 
that  is  intimate  and  personal  with  regard  to  the  Washing- 
tons, that,  despite  its  disconnected  and  rambling  character, 
his  book  will  always  be  authoritative  as  the  record  of  one  who 
had  the  advantage  of  living  at  Mount  Vernon  during  his 
childhood  and  early  youth. 


29 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


matchless  form.  He  adds:  “So  long  ago  as 
the  days  of  the  vice-regal  court  of  Williams- 
burg, in  the  time  of  Lord  Botetourt,  Colonel 
Washington  was  remarkable  for  his  splendid 
person.  The  air  with  which  he  wore  a small 
sword,  and  his  peculiar  walk,  that  had  the 
light  elastic  tread  acquired  by  long  service 
on  the  frontier,  was  a matter  of  much  observa- 
tion, especially  to  foreigners.” 

The  best-known  portraits  of  Washington 
were  all  painted  during  or  after  middle  life. 
Even  the  portrait  executed  by  the  elder 
Pe-ale  at  Mount  Vernon  in  1772,  with  its 
clear  penetrating  eye,  round  unlined  face,  and 
alert  but  commanding  form,  represents  a much 
older  man  than  the  young  soldier  who,  be- 
tween 1752  and  1756,  had  performed  on  the 
Virginia  frontier  the  most  daring  service 
upon  record.  It  is  this  Washington,  in  all 
the  strength  and  enthusiasm  of  young  man- 
hood, brave  even  to  recklessness,  as  upon 
the  fatal  field  of  Braddock,  where  he  had 
two  horses  shot  under  him  and  four  bullets 
through  his  coat,  who  now  appeared  before 
Mrs.  Daniel  Parke  Custis  as  the  honored 
friend  of  her  host,  and  a little  later  as  a 
suitor  for  her  hand. 

Mrs.  Custis  was  at  this  time  nearly  twenty- 
seven  years  of  age,  being  three  months 

30 


THE  YOUNG  VIRGINIA  COLONEL 


younger  than  her  lover,  although  she  has  so 
often  been  spoken  of  as  the  elder  of  the  two. 
The  picture  that  gives  us  the  best  idea  of 
the  attractions  of  the  young  widow  to  whom 
Washington  paid  his  addresses  in  1758  is  a 
portrait  by  John  Woolaston,  which  hangs  in 
the  home  of  her  descendants,  the  Lees  of 
Lexington.  This  portrait,  although  crude 
and  inartistic  in  detail  and  finish,  gives  us  a 
strong  and  definite  idea  of  the  subject.  It 
represents  a handsome  woman  in  the  bloom  of 
early  matronhood,  a dignified  and  essentially 
feminine  personality,  serene  and  well-poised, 
and  such  Martha  Custis  seems  always  to  have 
been.1 

1 An  animated  controversy  was  maintained,  several  years 
since,  with  regard  to  this  portrait  of  Mrs.  Daniel  Parke  Cus- 
tis, Mr.  Moncure  D.  Conway  and  Mr.  L.  W.  Washington 
claiming  that  the  Lexington  portrait  represented  Mrs.  Field- 
ing Lewis,  General  Washington’s  sister ; while,  upon  the  other 
hand,  Prof.  W.  G.  Brown,  of  Washington  and  Lee  University, 
and  Mr.  Charles  Henry  Hart,  of  Philadelphia,  quite  as  ear- 
nestly insisted  that  the  Lexington  portrait  was  of  Mrs.  Custis, 
as  had  always  been  supposed. 

There  is  certainly  some  resemblance  between  the  Woolas- 
ton portraits  of  Mrs.  Custis  and  Mrs.  Fielding  Lewis,  but 
no  more  striking  resemblance  than  is  often  found  in  the 
portraits  of  different  individuals  by  the  same  artist.  The 
strongest  argument  is  that  advanced  by  Mr.  Charles  Henry 
Hart,  who  says  that  Mr.  G.  W.  P.  Custis,  who  was  reared  at 
Mount  Vernon,  and  lived  there  until  Mrs.  Washington’s  death 
in  1802,  when  he  was  twent3'-one  years  of  age,  never  expressed 
any  doubt  about  this  painting  as  a portrait  of  his  grandmother. 
Is  it  at  all  likely  that  this  grandson,  living  as  he  did  from  his 
31 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


A fanciful  sketch  has  been  drawn  of  the 
first  interview  between  the  stately  lovers,  who 
are  represented  as  standing  stiffly  by  the 
mantel,  while  the  Custis  children  play  upon 
the  floor.  This  scene  is  purely  imaginary, 
but  the  Chamberlayne  house  is  still  stand- 
ing, although  Mrs.  Custis’s  own  residence, 
the  White  House,  was  destroyed  during  the 
Civil  War.  As  the  story  runs,  Colonel  Wash- 

earliest  childhood  until  manhood  at  Mount  Vernon,  should 
never  have  discovered  that  the  portrait  which  he  believed  was 
that  of  his  grandmother  was  in  fact  that  of  General  Washing- 
ton’s sister  ? Nor  is  it  likely  that  Mr.  G.  W.  P.  Custis  would 
have  allowed  this  portrait  to  be  reproduced  as  a picture  of 
Mrs.  Washington  to  illustrate  the  works  of  Irving  and  Sparks, 
had  he  not  been  quite  sure  that  the  portrait  was  of  his  Grand- 
mother Washington. 

Since  this  little  volume  has  been  going  through  the  press, 
the  author  has  been  so  fortunate  as  to  come  across  a descrip- 
tion of  the  family  portraits  at  Mount  Vernon,  by  Mr.  John 
Hunter,  an  Englishman  who  visited  General  Washington  in 
1785.  After  speaking  of  a picture  of  the  Marquis  de  La- 
fayette and  his  family,  Mr.  Hunter  says:  “Another  of  the 
General  with  his  marching  orders,  when  lie  was  Colonel 
Washington  in  the  British  Army  against  the  French  in  the 
last  War;  and  two  of  Mrs.  Washington’s  children,  . . . also  a 
picture  of  Mrs.  Washington  when  a young  woman.” 

As  no  other  portrait  of  Mrs.  Washington  when  a young 
woman  has  ever  been  spoken  of,  it  is  evident  that  the  English 
gentleman  refers  to  the  disputed  picture  which  now  hangs  at 
Lexington,  where  are  also  the  other  portraits  of  which  he 
speaks,  — those  of  Mrs.  Washington’s  two  little  children,  and 
the  Peale  portrait  of  Washington  in  his  uniform  of  a Virginia 
colonel.  That  this  portrait  was  hanging  at  Mount  Vernon, 
and  was  shown  to  Mr.  Hunter  as  a portrait  of  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton, seems  to  settle  definitely  the  question  of  its  authenticity. 

32 


THE  YOUNG  VIRGINIA  COLONEL 


ington,  attended  by  his  servant  Bishop,1 * 3  was 
crossing  William’s  Ferry,  which  was  directly 
opposite  the  Chamberlayne  house,  on  his  way 
to  the  capital  of  the  Colony,  where  he  had 
some  business  of  importance  with  the  Gov- 
ernor. Major  Chamberlayne  met  him  at  the 
ferry,  and  pressed  him  to  accept  the  hospitality 
of  his  house  for  a day  or  two.  Colonel  Wash- 
ington at  first  declined,  in  consequence  of  the 
important  business  that  claimed  his  presence 
in  Williamsburg;  but  when  the  hospitable  gen- 
tleman added  to  his  persuasions  the  induce- 
ment that  the  loveliest  widow  in  all  Virginia 
was  under  his  roof,  the  young  officer  loosed 
his  bridle-rein,  accepted  the  invitation  to  dine 
with  Major  Chamberlayne,  and  gave  Bishop 
orders  to  have  the  horses  ready  for  depart- 
ure at  an  early  hour  in  the  afternoon. 

The  story  of  this  brief  soldierly  wooing  has 
often  been  told,  but  by  no  person  who  had 

1 A marked  characteristic  of  Washington’s  was  his  power 
to  attract  to  himself  “ all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men.”  The 
common  soldiers  loved  him  with  devoted  loyalty,  and  Brad- 

dock,  although  he  unfortunately  turned  a deaf  ear  to  his 
young  staff  officer’s  advice,  was  deeply  attached  to  him  per- 
sonally, proving  his  affection  by  bequeathing  to  him  his 
body  servant  and  his  favorite  horse.  When  the  British  com- 
mander met  his  death  in  the  western  wilds  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, it  was  Washington  who  attended  to  his  hurial,  and, 
standing  baside  that  grave  in  the  wilderness,  read  over  the 
fallen  general  the  burial  service  of  the  English  Church. 

3 33 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


better  opportunities  of  giving  a correct  version 
of  it  than  Mr.  G.  W.  P.  Custis,  in  his  Recollec- 
tions of  Washington.  He  says  that  “ they  were 
mutually  pleased  on  this  their  first  interview, 
nor  is  it  remarkable;  they  were  of  an  age 
when  impressions  are  strongest.  The  lady 
was  fair  to  behold,  of  fascinating  manners 
and  splendidly  endowed  with  worldly  bene- 
fits. The  hero  fresh  from  his  early  fields, 
redolent  of  fame,  and  with  a form  on  which 
‘ every  god  did  seem  to  set  his  seal,  to 
give  the  world  assurance  of  a man.’”  The 
morning  passed  pleasantly  away.  Evening 
came,  with  Bishop,  true  to  his  orders,  firm  at 
his  post,  holding  his  favorite  charger  with  one 
hand,  while  with  the  other  he  was  waiting  to 
offer  the  ready  stirrup.  The  sun  sank  in  the 
horizon,  yet  the  Colonel  appeared  not.  And 
then  the  old  soldier  marvelled  at  his  chief’s  de- 
lay. “ ‘ ’T  was  strange,  ’t  was  passing  strange,  ’ 
— surely  he  was  not  wont  to  be  a single  mo- 
ment behind  his  appointments,  for  he  was  the 
most  punctual  of  all  men.  Meantime  the  host 
enjoyed  the  scene  of  the  veteran  on  duty  at 
the  gate  while  the  colonel  was  so  agreeably 
employed  in  the  parlor,  and  proclaiming  that 
no  guest  ever  left  his  house  after  sunset,  his 
military  visitor  was,  without  much  difficulty, 
persuaded  to  order  Bishop  to  put  up  the  horses 

34 


TEE  YOUNG  VIRGINIA  COLONEL 


for  the  night.  The  sun  rode  high  in  the 
heavens  the  ensuing  day  when  the  enamored 
soldier  pressed  with  his  spur  his  charger’s 
side,  and  speeded  on  his  way  to  the  seat  of 
government.  ” 

Upon  his  return  from  Williamsburg,  Colonel 
Washington  visited  Mrs.  Custis  in  her  own 
house.  Tradition  says  that  upon  this  occa- 
sion the  lover  was  rowed  across  the  river  by 
a slave,  who,  when  he  wTas  asked  whether  his 
mistress  was  at  home,  replied,  “Yes,  sah,  I 
reckon  you  ’se  the  man  what ’s  ’spected  ; ” 
which  proves  that  the  fair  widow  was  in  readi- 
ness to  receive  her  guest.  The  engagement 
evidently  took  place  during  this  visit,  as  the 
lovers  did  not  meet  again  until  the  time  of 
their  marriage,  the  following  January. 

We  are  all  familiar  with  Mr.  Thackeray’s 
adroit  weaving  of  this  love-story  into  his 
Virginians,  and,  rereading  this  chapter  in 
the  light  of  later  Colonial  research,  are  sur- 
prised at  his  accurate  presentation  of  the  life 
of  the  Old  Dominion,  which  he  says  he  found 
more  like  the  England  of  the  Georges  than  was 
the  England  of  his  own  day.  In  the  hands  of 
this  master  of  style  and  fancy  the  simple 
mistake  of  the  gossip  Mountain,  who  found  in 
Colonel  Washington’s  room  some  lines  in 
which  he  spoke  of  his  approaching  marriage 

35 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


to  a well-endowed  widow  with  two  children, 
assumes  the  vivid  colors  of  reality,  and  turn- 
ing the  pages  with  trembling  eagerness  we 
feel  that  the  cause  of  the  Colonies  hangs  in 
the  balance,  that  at  any  moment  the  great 
Virginia  soldier  may  fall  in  a duel  at  the 
hands  of  young  George  Warrington,  or  that 
the  lad’s  insolence  may  prove  even  too  much 
for  the  forbearance  of  Washington,  and  that 
in  an  hour  of  just  indignation  he  may  consent 
to  cross  swords  with  the  young  fellow  who 
has  been  like  a brother  to  him.  It  is  all  so 
life-like,  so  spirited,  that  we  forget  the  false 
chronology  of  placing  Colonel  Washington’s 
engagement  before  Braddock’s  expedition ; for- 
get, indeed,  that  the  whole  incident  is  a fabri- 
cation of  the  novelist,  and  rejoice  heartily 
over  the  denouement  when  stout  Mrs.  Moun- 
tain arrives  breathless  upon  the  scene  of  action, 
riding  Madam  Esmond’s  pony,  to  announce  that 
she  has  made  a mistake,  that  it  is  the  little 
widow  Curtis  [Custis],  not  Madam  Esmond, 
whom  Colonel  Washington  is  to  marry.”  We 
know  that  the  victorious  expedition  against 
Fort  Duquesne  intervened  between  Washing- 
ton’s engagement  and  his  marriage,  as  he  left 
his  betrothed  after  their  second  interview  for 
the  scene  of  action.  A note  dated  Fort 
Cumberland,  July  20,  1758,  is  the  only  love- 


THE  YOUNG  VIRGINIA  COLONEL 


letter  that  has  come  down  to  us  from  this 
period. 

We  have  begun  our  march  to  the  Ohio.  A 
courier  is  starting  for  Williamsburg,  and  I embrace 
the  opportunity  to  send  a few  words  to  one  whose 
life  is  now  inseparable  from  mine.  Since  that 
happy  hour  when  we  made  our  pledges  to  each 
other,  my  thoughts  have  been  continually  going 
to  you  as  to  another  Self.  That  All-powerful 
Providence  may  keep  us  both  in  safety  is  the 
prayer  of  your  faithful  and  ever  affectionate  friend, 

G.  Washington. 

So  runs  this  straightforward,  manly  mis- 
sive, which  bears  no  trace  of  the  influence 
of  a volume  called  Epistles  to  Ladies,  which 
was  found  among  Washington’s  books,  nor  is 
there  anything  formal  or  studied  about  the 
other  love-letters,  so-called,  which  belong  to 
this  period  and  have  been  so  much  discussed 
of  late  years  that  it  seems  inadvisable  to  pass 
them  over  without  a word  of  comment.  Several 
authorities,  among  them  Mrs.  Burton  Harrison, 
Avho,  as  a member  of  the  Fairfax  family,  has 
had  excellent  opportunities  to  get  at  the  truth 
of  the  matter,  say  that  the  first  of  these  let- 
ters was  addressed  to  Sally  Cary,  the  wife  of 
Washington’s  friend,  George  William  Fairfax. 
On  the  other  hand,  Dr.  Edward  D.  Neill,  who, 
during  an  examination  of  the  Fairfax  papers, 

37 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


came  across  the  second  letter,  which  is  evi- 
dently a sequel  to  the  first,  stated  unhesitat- 
ingly that  it  was  addressed  to  Miss  Mary  Cary, 
a younger  sister  of  Mrs.  Fairfax.  It  is  quite 
clear  from  one  of  Washington’s  own  letters, 
written  to  his  friend  Robin  when  he  was  about 
seventeen,  that  it  was  Miss  Mary  Cary  to  whom 
his  thoughts  first  turned.  He  speaks  of  her  as 
“a  very  agreeable  young  lady  in  the  same 
house,  Colonel  George  Fairfax’s  wife’s  sister.” 
Whether  Washington  subsequently  transferred 
his  affection  to  Mrs.  Fairfax,  or  whether  Miss 
Mary  Cary  continued  to  be  the  object  of  his 
devotion,  it  is  impossible  to  decide,  excellent 
authorities  being  ranged  on  either  side  of  the 
question.  We  are,  however,  disposed  to  agree 
with  Dr.  .Neill,  that  all  the  letters  were  ad- 
dressed to  Miss  Cary,  feeling  at  liberty',  in 
the  absence  of  any  positive  proof,  to  base 
our  conclusions  upon  the  general  character 
and  bearing  of  the  persons  involved.  Mrs. 
Fairfax  was  several  years  the  senior  of  her 
alleged  lover,  was  an  estimable  woman,  a 
warm  friend  of  ' the  Washingtons  during  their 
early  married  life  at  Mount  Vernon,  and  a 
valued  correspondent  during  the  many  years 
which  she  spent  abroad  with  her  husband. 
To  have  addressed  love-letters,  even  of  the 
mild  order  of  those  still  extant,  to  the  wife  of 


THE  YOUNG  VIRGINIA  COLONEL 


his  intimate  friend,  seems  out  of  all  keeping 
with  the  loyal  nature  of  Washington.  The 
first  of  these  letters,  written  in  September, 
1758,  is  singularly  ambiguous  and  indirect, 
and  the  mention  of  his  betrothed  contained  in 
it  is  so  trifling  and  undignified  that  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  believe  that  it  was  penned  by  the  writer 
to  whom  it  is  attributed : — 

“How  joyfully  I catch  at  the  happy  occasion  of 
renewing  a correspondence  which  I feared  was  dis- 
relished on  your  part.  ...  In  silence  I now  ex- 
press my  joy;  silence,  which  in  some  cases,  speaks 
more  intelligently  than  the  sweetest  eloquence. 

. . . Attributing  my  anxiety  to  the  animating 
prospect  of  possessing  Mrs.  Chistis,  when  — I need 
not  tell  you,  guess  yourself.  . . . ’T  is  true  I pro- 
fess myself  a votary  of  love.  I acknowledge  that 
a lady  is  in  the  case,  and  further  I confess  that  this 
lady  is  known  to  you  as  well  as  she  is  to  one  who 
is  too  sensible  to  her  charms.  ...  I feel  the  force 
of  her  amiable  beauties  in  the  recollection  of  a 
thousand  tender  passages  that  I could  wish  to  ob- 
literate, till  I am  bid  to  revive  them.  . . . How 
impossible  this  is.  . . . There  is  a destiny  which 
has  the  control  of  our  actions,  not  to  be  resisted  by 
the  strongest  efforts  of  human  nature.  You  have 
drawn  me  . . . into  an  honest  confession  of  a 
simple  fact  ...  I dare  believe  you  are  as  happy 
as  you  say.  I wish  I was  happy  also.” 

39 


MALTIJA  WASHINGTON 


The  other  letter,  the  one  unearthed  by  Dr. 
Edward  D.  Neill,  abounds  in  half-sentimental 
and  half-playful  allusions  to  Addison’s  Cato, 
in  which,  says  Dr.  Neill,  Miss  Cary  was  then 
playing  the  part  of  Marcia,  and  of  which  the 
Avriter  declares  “that  he  would  be  doubly 
happy  in  being  the  Juba  to  such  a Marcia  as 
she  would  make,”  etc.  Dr.  Neill  points  out 
many  sentences  that  admirably  fit  the  case  of 
the  lovers,  as  when  Juba  exclaims:  — 

“ And  in  the  shock  of  charging  hosts  remember 
What  glorious  deeds  should  grace  the  man  who  hopes 
For  Marcia’s  love.” 

To  which  Marcia  replies  : — 

“ Juba  might  make  the  proudest  of  our  sex, 

Any  of  womankind  but  Marcia,  happy.” 

Lucia.  “ And  why  not  Marcia  1 ” 

Maucia.  “ While  Cato  lives,  his  daughter  has  no  right 
To  love  or  hate  but  as  his  choice  directs.” 

This  last  line  Dr.  Neill  finds  matched  in 
the  history  of  the  lovers,  old  Mr.  Cary  having 
turned  a deaf  ear  to  the  young  soldier’s  suit 
for  his  daughter’s  hand,  because  he  considered 
his  fortune  insufficient.  Mr.  Edward  Everett 
introduces  this  letter  to  Miss  Cary  into  his 
article  in  Appletons’  Cyclopaedia  on  Washing- 
ton, but  concludes  that  it  was  addressed  to 
Mrs.  Custis,  while  Dr.  Neill  claims  that  it 
was  written  to  Miss  Cary.  Much  has  been 

40 


THE  YOUNG  VIRGINIA  COLONEL 


made  of  this  letter,  — more,  perhaps,  than  is 
warranted  by  the  expressions  of  the  writer, 
which  are  not  those  of  a lover,  unless  the 
opening  lines  may  be  so  construed:  — 

Deak  Madam,  — Do  we  still  misunderstand  the 
true  meaning  of  each  other’s  letters  ? I think  it 
must  appear  so,  though  I would  feign  hope  the 
contrary,  as  I cannot  speak  plainer  without  — but 
I ’ll  say  no  more,  and  leave  you  to  guess  the  rest. 

This  letter  is  evidently  a reply  to  one  from 
the  lady,  and  sent  with  the  knowledge  of  her 
father,  as  it  contains  a message  to  Colonel 
Cary. 

After  giving  a detailed  account  of  the  recent 
disastrous  repulse  of  Major  Grant,  Colonel 
Washington  enters  into  a lively  discussion  of 
the  news  contained  in  the  lady’s  letter:  — 

“ Your  agreeable  letter  contained  these  words  : 
‘ My  sisters  and  Nancy  Gist,  wrho  neither  of  them 
expect  to  he  here  soon  after  our  return  from  towm, 
desire  you  to  accept  their  best  compliments,  &c.’ 

“Pray,  are  these  ladies  upon  a matrimonial 
scheme  ? Is  Miss  Fairfax  to  be  transformed  into 
that  charming  Domestick  — a Martin  and  Miss 
Cary  to  a Fa-re  ? What  does  Miss  Gist  turn  to  — 
a Cocke.  That  can’t  be  ; we  have  him  here. 

“One  thing  more  and  then  have  done.  You 
ask  if  I am  not  tired  of  the  length  of  your  letter? 
No,  Madam,  I am  not,  nor  never  can  be  while  the 


41 


MA  R THA  WASHINGTON 


Lines  are  an  Inch  asunder  to  bring  you  in  haste  to 
the  end  of  the  Paper,  you  may  be  tired  of  mine  by 
this.  Adieu,  dear  Madam.” 

Had  Mrs.  Custis  been  looking  over  the 
writer’s  shoulder,  she  certainly  could  have 
ma.de  no  objection  to  this  badinage,  although 
she  might  have  asked  for  an  explanation,  as 
do  readers  to-day,  of  the  opening  lines  of  a 
letter  which  was  penned  by  her  lover  only  a 
few  months  before  his  marriage  to  her. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  brief  note  from 
Fort  Cumberland  is  the  only  communication 
from  Washington  to  his  betrothed,  that  has 
come  down  to  us  from  the  period  that  inter- 
vened between  the  engagement  and  the  wed- 
ding. Mrs.  Washington  destroyed  all  these 
and  other  letters  that  passed  between  her 
husband  and  herself,  very  naturally  and 
properly  deeming  them  too  personal  and  inti- 
mate for  the  world’s  perusal.  To  illuminate 
this  period,  of  which  we  know  so  little,  they 
would  be  invaluable,  and  they  would  doubtless 
prove  to  us  that  the  young  Colonel  was  as 
“gallant  in  love  as  he  was  dauntless  in  war.” 
Passionate  by  nature  Washington  certainly 
was.  One  of  our  most  distinguish  portrait 
painters  read  in  his  face,  with  its  large  eye- 
sockets  and  great  breadth  between  the  eyes, 
evidences  of  the  strongest  passions  that  belong 

42 


THE  YOUNG  VIRGINIA  COLONEL 


to  humanity;  but  these  passions  were  held 
well  in  hand,  especially  as  he  advanced  in 
years.  Ardent  and  enthusiastic  he  always 
was,  in  whatever  pursuit  he  was  engaged, 
whether  it  was  love,  war,  or  hunting.  From 
the  days  of  his  hopeless  attachment  to  Miss 
Grymes,  the  “Lowland  Beauty,”  to  those 
when  he  was  equally  unfortunate  in  his  affec- 
tion for  Miss  Fontleroy,  Miss  Cary,  and  Miss 
Philipse,  of  New  York,  Washington  seems  to 
have  been  deeply  appreciative  of  the  charms 
and  graces  of  refined  womanhood. 

In  this  age  of  many  questions,  a query 
has  been  started  as  to  why  Washington  was 
so  frequently  rejected,  with  the  satisfactory 
results  that  usually  attend  such  questions. 
One  person  suggests  that  he  was  too  modest 
and  diffident  to  interest  ladies ; another  that 
he  was  poor  in  his  early  youth;  and  still  an- 
other that  he  had  not  received  a university 
education  in  England,  — and  this  before  the 
dawn  of  the  century  of  the  “new  woman,” 
when  the  chief  requirements  that  a Virginia 
girl  exacted  of  her  lover  were  to  be  able  to 
ride  like  a centaur  and  to  dance  like  a Ches- 
terfield. In  both  of  these  elegant  accom- 
plishments it  is  well  known  that  Washington 
excelled,  and  also  that  he  clothed  his  hand- 
some person  in  the  most  suitable  and  becoming 

43 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


attire,  if  we  may  judge  from  the  list  of  goods 
and  articles  imported  by  him,  as  well  as  from 
all  descriptions  of  him  that  have  come  down 
to  us. 

Mrs.  Custis  had  doubtless  heard  of  the 
earlier  “ rejected  addresses  ” of  her  brave 
young  lover,  for  the  Virginia  world  of  that 
day  was  small  and  eminently  social,  and 
Washington  was  already  a distinguished  figure 
in  it;  but  in  this  important  question,  as  in 
all  else  that  concerned  her  own  best  hap- 
piness or  that  of  her  children,  she  showed 
herself  a wise  woman.  The  fact  that  a few 
foolish  girls,  and  one  purse-proud  old  Vir- 
ginia aristocrat,  had  turned  a deaf  ear  to 
the  suit  of  the  gallant  gentleman  who  now 
offered  her  his  heart  and  his  hand,  did  not, 
for  a moment,  cause  her  to  doubt  that  in  ac- 
cepting them  she  entered  into  the  possession 
of  the  best  that  life  could  give  her. 

Mr.  Lodge,  in  his  Life  of  Washington,  — 
which  is  the  most  human  and  balanced  por- 
trait of  the  great  soldier  that  has  been  given 
to  the  reading  world,  — draws  a brilliant  pic- 
ture of  the  wedding  of  Colonel  Washington  and 
Mrs.  Custis,  against  the  quaint  and  picturesque 
background  of  old  St.  Peter’s  Church  in  New 
Kent  County.  We  do  not  doubt  that  the 
bride  was  attired  in  silk,  satin,  laces  and 


THE  YOUNG  VIRGINIA  COLONEL 


brocade,  as  Mr.  Lodge  says,  nor  that  the 
groom  appeared  in  blue  and  silver  trimmed 
with  scarlet,  nor  that  the  buckles  upon  his 
knees  and  upon  his  shoes  were  of  pure  gold, 
as  several  descriptions  of  the  costumes  are 
to  be  found,  and  as  some  of  the  articles  worn 
are  still  preserved.  What  we  doubt  is  that 
the  marriage  was  solemnized  in  St.  Peter’s 
Church.  Mr.  G.  W.  P.  Custis,  who  should  be 
an  authority  upon  the  subject,  does  not  say 
that  his  grandmother  and  Colonel  Washington 
were  married  there.  He  says,  indeed,  that  he 
failed  to  find  the  date  of  the  marriage  in  the 
records  of  the  vestry  of  St.  Peter’s  Church, 
and  simply  states  the  fact  that  “the  Reverend 
Mr.  Mossom,  a Cambridge  scholar,  was  the 
rector  who  performed  the  ceremony,  it  is 
believed  about  1759.  ” The  fact  that  Mr.  Custis 
and  others  failed  to  find  the  marriage  record  at 
St.  Peter’s  Church  adds  to  the  probability  that 
the  ceremony  was  not  performed  there. 

It  seems  to  be  well  known  that  the  mar- 
riage took  place  in  January,  but  Mr.  Sparks 
gets  at  the  day  of  the  month  in  a very 
roundabout  fashion.  Mrs.  Bache,  Dr.  Frank- 
lin’s daughter,  in  writing  to  her  father  in 
January,  1779,  says  that  she  went  abroad  with 
General  and  Mrs.  Washington  on  her  father’s 
birthday,  the  seventeenth  of  January,  and  that 

45 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


the  General,  who  danced  with  her,  told  her 
that  this  was  the  anniversary  of  his  mar- 
riage, just  twenty  years  ago  that  night.  Tak- 
ing off  the  eleven  days  involved  in  the  change 
of  style  from  the  old  to  the  new  brings  the 
date  to  the  sixth  of  January,  which  Mr.  Sparks 
adopts  as  the  correct  one,  in  which  Mr.  Lodge 
follows  him,  while  he  follows  Lossing  in  say- 
ing that  the  marriage  was  at  St.  Peter’s 
Church.  Such  accurate  local  historians  as 
Bishop  Meade,  Dr.  Tyler,  President  of  the 
William  and  Mary  College,  and  Mr.  W.  G. 
Stanard,  of  Richmond,  have  stated  that  Mrs. 
Custis  was  married  in  her  own  house  in 
New  Kent  County.  This  was  also  the  opinion 
of  Washington  Irving,  who  was  writing  nearer 
in  time  to  the  event  than  Mr.  Lossing,  when 
it  was  still  possible  to  consult  reliable  authori- 
ties upon  the  subject.  In  speaking  of  the 
wedding,  he  says,  “With  this  campaign  (the 
one  that  closed  with  the  reduction  of  Fort 
Duquesne)  ended  for  the  present  the  mili- 
tary career  of  Washington.  Ilis  marriage 
with  Mrs.  Custis  took  place  shortly  after 
his  return.  It  was  celebrated  on  the  sixth  of 
January,  1759,  at  the  White  House,  the  resi- 
dence of  the  bride,  in  the  good  old  hospitable 
style  of  Virginia,  amid  a joyous  assemblage 
of  relations  and  friends.” 


46 


THE  YOUNG  VIRGINIA  COLONEL 


A brilliant  picture,  full  of  life  and  color, 
was  this  Colonial  wedding.  The  great  plant- 
ers from  the  surrounding  country,  with  their 
wives  and  daughters,  were  present,  and  all 
the  notables  from  Williamsburg,  their  gayly- 
hued  official  costumes  vying  in  richness  with 
the  gowns  of  the  belles  of  the  capital.  To 
quote  from  old  Cully,  one  of  the  negro  serv- 
ants present,  who  was  interrogated  by  Mr. 
Custis : — 

“And  so  you  remember  when  Colonel 
Washington  came  a courting  of  your  mis- 
tress ? ” said  the  biographer  to  old  Cully,  then 
in  his  hundredth  year. 

“Ay,  master,  that  I do,”  replied  the  ancient 
family  servant,  who  had  lived  to  see  five 
generations.  “ Great  times,  sir ! great  times. 
Shall  never  see  de  like  agin.  ” 

“And  Washington  looked  like  a man,  a 
proper  man ; hey,  Cully  ? ” 

“Neber  see’d  de  like  sir!  neber  de  likes  of 
him,  tho’  I ’ve  seen  many  in  my  day ; so  tall, 
so  straight ! and  then  he  set  a horse  and  rode 
with  such  an  air ! Ah,  sir,  he  was  like  no 
one  else  ! Many  of  the  grandest  gentlemen  in 
their  gold  lace  was  at  the  weddin’,  but  none 
look’d  like  the  man  himself.” 

Even  Francis  Fauquier,  the  Governor  of 
Virginia,  in  his  scarlet  suit  embroidered  in 

47 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


gold,  with  all  the  bravery  of  bag-wig  and 
sword,  could  not  bear  comparison  with  the 
magnificent  groom,  whose  great  height  was  in 
striking  contrast  with  the  small  stature  of  the 
bride,  who  must  have  been  somewhat  encum- 
bered by  the  weight  and  richness  of  her  elabo- 
rate costume.  She  is  represented  as  wearing 
a white  satin  quilted  petticoat,  over  which 
was  draped  an  overskirt  of  heavy  corded  silk 
shot  through  with  threads  of  silver.1  Pearl 
ornaments  were  in  her  hair  and  about  her 
neck,  and  her  high-heeled  satin  slippers  were 
fastened  at  the  instep  with  buckles  studded 
with  diamonds.  This  gorgeous  little  lady 
was  attended  by  three  bridesmaids  elabo- 
rately attired  in  the  costume  of  the  day. 
The  names  of  these  attendant  damsels  have 
not  been  preserved,  but  we  know  that  the 
bride’s  sister,  Anna  Maria  Dandridge,  was  not 
among  them,  as  at  the  time  of  the  marriage 
she  was  Mrs.  Burwell  Bassett,  of  Eltham,  and 
among  the  matrons  rather  than  the  maids. 
We  may  be  sure  that  Colonel  Washington’s 
brothers,  his  sister  Bettjq  Mrs.  Fielding  Lewis, 
with  her  husband,  the  Fitzhughs,  Fairfaxes, 

1 A bit  of  Mrs.  Washington’s  wedding  dress  is  still  pre- 
served in  a pincushion  made  by  Mrs.  Lawrence  Lewis  for 
Mrs.  Sarah  Brintou,  of  Philadelphia.  This  pincushion,  which 
is  now  in  the  possession  of  I)i\  John  H.  Brinton,  is  of  rich 
white  silk  shot  through  with  silver. 

48 


THE  YOUNG  VIRGINIA  COLONEL 


and  others  of  the  Fredericksburg  and  Mount 
Vernon  neighborhood,  were  present,  and  that 
the  bride  was  bravely  supported  by  her  own 
kinsfolk.  Colonel  John  Dandridge  had  died 
three  years  before,  but  his  two  elder  sons, 
William  and  Bartholomew,  were  there  to 
stand  in  his  place ; and  to  complete  the  fam- 
ily group  were  the  ten-year-old  Elizabeth,  and 
Mary,  a child  of  three,  with  her  mother,  the 
“dear  Mamma”  of  whom  Mrs.  Washington 
speaks  so  often  in  her  letters.1 

All  accounts  of  the  wedding  speak  of  the 
bride  being  driven  home  in  a coach  drawn  by 
sis  horses,  guided  by  liveried  black  postilions. 
Beside  the  coach  rode  Colonel  Washington, 
upon  his  favorite  horse,  richly  caparisoned, 
attended  by  a number  of  gentlemen.  If,  as 
we  believe,  the  marriage  ceremony  was  per- 
formed at  the  White  House,  these  descriptions 
of  a bridal  cavalcade  evidently  refer  to  the 
short  wedding  journey  from  the  country  home 
of  Mrs.  Custis  to  her  Williamsburg  residence, 
where,  according  to  many  authorities,  the 
honeymoon  was  spent.  Colonel  Washington 
did  not  take  his  wife  to  Mount  Vernon  imme- 

i Mr.  Alexander  Brown,  one  of  the  most  accurate  of  Vir- 
ginia genealogists,  says  that  Colonel  John  Dandridge  was  mar- 
ried three  times,  consequently  the  “dear  Mamma”  to  whom 
Mrs.  Washington  was  so  tenderly  attached  was  her  stepmother. 
She  was,  says  Mr.  Brown,  Fanny  Taylor,  of  Henrico. 

4 49 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


cliately  after  his  marriage,  as  business  con- 
nected with  her  large  estate  and  that  of  her 
children,  and  his  own  public  duties  as  a 
member  of  the  Virginia  House  of  Burgesses, 
made  it  necessary  for  the  newly-married  pair 
to  remain  in  or  near  Williamsburg  for  some 
months,  and  the  Six  Chimney  House  was 
certainly  a more  convenient  winter  location 
than  the  White  House. 

In  none  of  the  discussions  with  regard  to 
the  place  and  date  of  this  marriage  is  the  cer- 
tificate mentioned,  although  Colonel  Washing- 
ton thus  refers  to  it  in  a letter  written  from 
Williamsburg  to  his  London  agent,  Robert 
Cary,  in  May,  1759:  — 

“The  enclosed,  is  the  Minister’s  certificate  of  my 
marriage  with  Mrs.  Martha  Custis,  properly,  as  I 
am  told,  authenticated.  You  will,  therefore,  for 
the  future  please  to  address  all  your  letters,  which 
relate  to  the  affairs  of  the  late  Daniel  Parke  Custis, 
Esqr.,  to  me,  as  by  Marriage  I am  entitled  to  a 
third  part  of  that  estate,  and  invested  likewise  with 
the  care  of  the  other  two  thirds  by  a decree  of 
our  General  Court,  which  I obtained  in  order  to 
strengthen  the  power  I before  had  in  consequence 
of  my  wife’s  administration.  ” 

While  absent  upon  his  last  campaign, 
Colonel  Washington  had  been  elected  to 
represent  Frederick  County,  and  it  is  in- 


50 


TEE  YOUNG  VIRGINIA  COLONEL 


teresting  in  the  light  of  modern  political 
methods  to  have  it  frankly  stated  that  his 
election  cost  him  thirty-nine  pounds  and  sis 
shillings,  Virginia  currency.  This  sum  was 
probably  dispensed  upon  the  hogshead  and 
barrel  of  punch,  the  thirty -sis  gallons  of  wine, 
the  forty -three  gallons  of  strong  beer  and 
cider,  and  upon  the  dinner  to  his  friends,  all 
of  which  items  are  charged  among  the  elec- 
tion espenses.  The  election  was  especially 
gratifying  to  Washington,  for  although  he 
had  refused  to  take  his  friends’  advice  and 
quit  his  military  duties  in  order  to  throw  the 
weight  of  his  personal  influence  into  the  cam- 
paign, he  had  the  satisfaction  of  being  elected, 
by  a large  majority,  over  the  three  opposing 
candidates.  One  of  his  friends  in  Williams- 
burg, writing  to  him  of  his  election,  said, 
“Your  friends  have  been  very  sincere,  so  that 
you  have  received  more  votes  than  any  other 
candidate.  Colonel  Ward  sat  on  the  bench 
and  represented  you,  and  he  was  carried 
around  the  town  in  the  midst  of  a gen- 
eral applause,  and  huzzaing  for  Colonel 
Washington.  ” 

It  was  during  the  session  of  the  House  soon 
after  his  marriage,  when  Washington  first 
took  his  seat,  that  the  incident  occurred 
which  was  first  related  by  Mr.  Wirt.  Mr. 

51 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Robinson,  Speaker  of  the  House,  thanked  the 
new  member  for  his  services  to  his  country, 
in  the  eloquent  and  florid  language  of  the 
South.  Washington  arose  to  reply,  and  then, 
utterly  unable  to  speak  about  himself,  stood 
before  his  fellow-members  blushing  and  stam- 
mering, until  the  Speaker  with  ready  tact 
interposed:  “Sit  down,  Mr.  Washington,  your 
modesty  equals  your  valor,  and  that  surpasses 
the  power  of  any  language  I possess.  ” 

It  is  an  old  story,  and  often  repeated ; but 
when  it  was  a fresh,  new  story,  it  must  have 
filled  with  pride  the  heart  of  the  wife,  to 
whom  it  was  probably  told  by  every  one  ex- 
cept the  chief  actor  in  the  little  drama ! 
There  are  only  a few  expressions  of  Martha 
Washington’s  that  reveal  her  deep  and  rev- 
erent affection  for  her  husband ; for,  like  him, 
she  was  more  than  ordinarily  self-contained 
and  reserved. 


52 


IV 


EARLY  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 

As  soon  as  Colonel  Washington’s  official 
duties  permitted,  he  took  his  wife  and  her  two 
children  to  Mount  Vernon,  which  was  ever 
after  a home  to  them  all  in  the  truest  sense  of 
the  word.  Nothing  perhaps  more  perfectly 
reveals  the  fine  fibre  of  this  man  than  his 
attitude  toward  his  step-children,  whose  inter- 
ests he  made  his  own  from  the  first.  In 
writing  and  speaking  of  them,  Washington 
always  said  “ the  children,  ” never  “ Mrs.  Wash- 
ington’s children,”  and  seldom  “my  step- 
children,” as  if  the  feeling  of  proprietorship 
was  a pleasant  part  of  his  relation  toward 
them.  By  a decree  of  the  court  he  was  made 
guardian  to  John  and  Martha  Custis,  a duty 
which  involved  the  care  of  their  estate,  a not 
inconsiderable  one.  This  obligation  Wash- 
ington discharged  with  his  habitual  faithful- 
ness and  accuracy,  bestowing  upon  them,  at 
the  same  time,  the  affection  of  a generous  and 
tender,  if  not  actively  demonstrative  nature. 

What  it  must  have  been  to  Martha  Washing- 
ton to  have  her  children  so  loved  and  cared 


53 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


for,  we  can  readily  imagine.  Although  from 
the  dark  clouds  that  had  early  shadowed  her 
pathway  she  emerged  when  scarcely  more  than 
a girl  into  the  sunshine  of  a happy  second  mar- 
riage, the  influence  of  her  former  sad  experi- 
ences pervaded  her  whole  life,  making  her 
always  a most  anxious  wife  and  mother. 

Of  Washington’s  sympathy  with  his  wife  in 
her  maternal  anxieties  we  find  many  proofs. 
When  young  Custis  was  studying  with  Dr. 
Bouchier,  in  Annapolis,  arrangements  were 
made  to  have  the  boy  undergo  the  trying  pro- 
cess of  inoculation  for  small -pox,  without  his 
mother’s  knowledge.  A letter  is  still  extant 
in  which  the  step-father  gives  Dr.  Bouchier 
the  most  explicit  directions  with  regard  to  the 
management  of  the  affair,  requesting  him  to 
write  him  of  Master  Custis’s  progress,  under 
cover  to  Lund  Washington,  and  in  a hand  not 
his  own,  adding,  “that  Mrs.  Washington  had 
often  wished  that  Jack  would  take  and  go 
through  the  disorder  without  her  knowing  it, 
that  she  might  escape  those  tortures  which 
suspense  would  throw  her  into,  little  as  the 
cause  might  be  for  them.” 

Mrs.  Washington’s  family  letters  abound  in 
references  to  her  children’s  health  and  her 
solicitude  about  her  “dear  Mamma,”  yet  there 
is  in  them  no  trace  of  a morbid  or  unhealthful 


54 


EARLY  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


dwelling  upon,  or  anticipation  of  trouble ; on 
the  contrary  there  is  every  reason  to  believe 
that  she  entered  heartily  into  the  pleasures 
and  ambitions  of  the  new  life  that  opened 
before  her.  In  one  of  her  letters  to  her 
sister,  Mrs.  Burwell  Bassett,  written  in  the 
second  year  of  her  marriage,  she  dwells  upon 
the  enjoyments  and  gayeties  of  the  Mount 
Vernon  neighborhood,  and  of  her  own  and  her 
children’s  improved  health,  assuring  her 
family  that  they  will  find  her  “ a fine,  healthy 
girl”  when  she  goes  to  Williamsburg  in  the 
autumn.  Colonel  Washington’s  official  posi- 
tion rendered  it  important  that  he  and  his 
wife  should  take  part  in  social  functions  of 
the  capital,  which  they  evidently  did,  as  we 
learn  from  their  letters  and  from  Washing- 
ton’s diary  that  Mrs.  Washington  often  accom- 
panied him  when  he  went  to  Williamsburg  to 
attend  the  sessions  of  the  House  of  Burgesses. 
This  annual  or  semi-annual  visit  afforded  her 
an  opportunity  of  meeting  her  New  Kent 
County  relatives;  and  that  they,  in  turn,  vis- 
ited Mount  Vernon,  is  proved  by  numerous 
allusions  to  such  visits.  Colonel  Washington 
records  more  than  one  hunt  in  Mr.  Bassett’s 
company,  and  in  a letter  written  to  Mrs.  Bas- 
sett in  June,  1760,  Mrs.  Washington  speaks 
with  much  pleasure  of  a recent  visit  from 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


her  brother-in-law,  adding,  “Mr.  Bassett  will 
inform  you  of  the  mirth  and  gayety  that  he 
has  seen,  so  I hope  I have  no  occasion  to 
enlarge  in  order  to  induce  you  to  try  Fairfax 
in  a pleasanter  season  than  you  did  last 
time.  ” 1 

Another  letter  to  the  same  sister,  indeed  all 
Mrs.  Washington’s  letters  seem  to  have  been 
written  to  this  most  dear  Nancy,  is  interest- 
ing and  characteristic. 

Mt.  Vernon  Aug  28  1762 

My  dear  Nancy,  — I had  the  pleasure  to  re- 
ceive your  kind  letter  of  the  25  of  July  just  as 
I was  setting  out  on  a visit  to  Mr  Washington  in 
Westmoreland  whare  I spent  a weak  very  agrea- 
bley  I carred  my  little  patt  with  me  and  left  Jackey 
at  home  for  a trial  to  see  how  well  I coud  stay 
without  him  though  we  ware  gon  but  won  fort- 
night I was  quite  impatiant  to  get  home.  If  I at 
aney  time  heard  the  doggs  barke  or  a noise  out,  I 
thought  thair  was  a person  sent  for  me. 

I often  fancied  he  was  sick  or  some  accident  had 
happened  to  him  so  that  I think  it  is  impossible 
for  me  to  leave  him  as  long  as  Mr  Washington 
must  stay  when  he  comes  down  — If  nothing  hap- 
pens I promise  myself  the  pleasure  of  comeing 
down  in  the  spring  as  it  will  be  a healthy  time  of 
the  year.  I am  very  much  obliged  to  you  for  your 

1 From  the  original  in  the  Dreer  Collection  in  the  Histori- 
cal Society  of  l’ennsylvania. 

56 


EARLY  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


kind  invatation  and  assure  yourself  nothing  but 
my  childrens  interest  should  prevent  me  the  sattis- 
faiton  of  seeing  you  and  my  good  Friends  I am 
always  thinking  of  and  wish  it  was  possable  for  me 
to  spend  more  of  my  time  amongst.  It  gave  me 
great  satisfaction  to  hear  of  your  dear  billy’s  re- 
covery which  I hope  will  he  a lasting  wone;  you 
mentioned  in  your  letter  that  Col  More  intended 
hear  but  we  have  seen  nothing  of  him.  We  heard 
at  Fredericksburg  that  he  and  my  brother  had 
been  thaire  but  no  higher.  I should  [have]  been 
very  glad  to  [have]  seen  them  heare.  We  all  injoy 
very  good  health  at  preasent,  I think  patty  seems 
to  he  quite  well  now,  Jackey  is  very  thin  hut  in 
good  health,  and  learn  thaire  books  very  fast.  I am 
sorry  to  hear  you  are  unwell  but  hope  your  Com- 
plaint is  slight.  I have  no  news  worth  telling  you. 

We  are  daly  expect[ing]  the  kind  laydes  of  Mary- 
land to  visit  us.  I must  begg  you  will  not  lett 
the  fright  you  had  given  you  prevent  you  comeing 
to  see  me  again  — If  I coud  leave  my  children  in 
as  good  Care  as  you  can  I would  never  let  Mr 

W n come  down  without  me  — Please  to  give 

my  love  to  Miss  Judy  and  your  little  bahys  and 
make  my  best  compliments  to  Mr  Bassett  and 
Mrs  Dawson 


I am  with  sincere  regard 
dear  sister 

yours  most  affectionately 
(Mrs.  Bassett)  Martha  Washington  1 
1 Original  in  possession  of  Mr.  Curtis  Guild  of  Boston. 


57 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


To  Washington  these  years  of  peace  and 
prosperity  at  Mount  Vernon,  with  a congenial 
companion,  who  sympathized  with  him  in  his 
love  of  country  pursuits,  and  was  ready  to 
enter  with  him  into  a round  of  homely  duties 
and  simple  pleasures,  must  have  been  the 
happiest  and  most  care-free  in  all  his  anxious 
and  responsible  career.  Not  that  these  were 
days  of  idleness  to  either  husband  or  wife,  for 
although  both  were  well  endowed  with  worldly 
goods,  personal  ease  and  self-indulgence  seem 
never  to  have  entered  into  their  thoughts. 
Mrs.  Washington  was  a notable  and  painstak- 
ing housekeeper,  and  at  home  dressed  with  the 
simplicity  that  suited  her  active  and  useful 
life.  When  she  went  abroad  with  her  hus- 
band in  Williamsburg,  or  drove  to  Annapolis 
or  Alexandria  in  her  chariot  and  four,  with 
black  postilions  in  the  white  and  scarlet  livery 
of  the  Washington  family,  she  attired  herself 
richly  and  in  a style  becoming  her  station. 
Indeed,  both  of  those  young  people  seem  to 
have  possessed  a fine  sense  of  the  fitness  of 
things.  If  Washington  desired  his  clothes, 
which  were  ordered  in  London  through  his 
kinsman,  Richard  Washington,  to  be  plain, 
without  embroidery  or  lace,  he  was  particular 
about  the  quality  of  the  cloth,  the  manner  in 
which  these  garments  fitted  his  fine  figure,  and 


EARLY  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


was  careful  to  state  that  the  buttons  should  be 
of  gold  or  silver. 

For  Mrs.  Washington,  her  husband  sent 
sumptuous  orders  to  the  same  agent.  Among 
the  articles  upon  the  lists  written  by  him  are 
“ a salmon-colored  tabby  velvet  of  the  enclosed 
pattern,  with  satin  flowers,  to  be  made  in  a 
sack  and  coat,  ruffles  to  be  made  of  Brussels 
lace  or  Point,  proper  to  be  worn  with  the  above 
negligee , to  cost  £20;  2 pairs  of  white  silk 
hose;  1 pair  white  satin  shoes  of  the  small- 
est fives ; 1 fashionable  hat  or  bonnet ; 6 pairs 
woman’s  best  kid  gloves;  6 pairs  mitts;  1 
dozen  breast-knots;  1 dozen  most  fashionable 
cambric  pocket  handkerchiefs ; 6 pounds  per- 
fumed powder;  a puckered  petticoat  of  fash- 
ionable color;  a silver  tabby  velvet  petticoat; 
handsome  breast  flowers ; sugar  candy ; ” and 
as  if  arranged  to  mislead  the  custom-house 
officials  of  those  days,  the  following  curious 
entry,  “ a piece  of  lace  or  linen  pinned  to  the 
top  of  a woman’s  stays.  ” 

For  Master  Custis,  aged  eight  years,  and 
for  Miss  Custis,  aged  six  years,  numerous  gar- 
ments and  ornaments  were  ordered.  For  the 
former  a silver-laced  hat,  silver  knee  and  shoe 
buckles;  and  for  his  sister  “a  coat  made  of 
fashionable  silk,”  and  various  frocks  of  lawn 
and  cambric;  “G  pairs  of  white  kid  gloves, 

59 


MAE  TEA  WASHINGTON 


handsome  egrettes  of  different  sorts ; ” and 
alas  for  the  health  of  the  delicate,  growing 
child ! “one  pair  of  pack  thread  stays.” 

With  these  articles  of  luxury  and  fashion, 
fashionable  being  a word  in  frequent  use  with 
the  grave  and  earnest  Washington,  we  find  a 
proper  corrective  in  the  form  of  an  order  for 
“a  small  Bible  neatly  bound  in  Turkey,  and 
John  Parke  Custis  wrote  in  gilt  letters  in  the 
inside  of  the  cover;  and  a neat,  small  Prayer 
Book,  bound  as  above,  with  John  Parke  Custis, 
as  above,”  duplicates  of  these  books  being 
ordered  for  little  Miss  Custis. 

These  London  orders,  and  others,  were  given 
with  the  exactness  and  attention  to  the  most 
minute  details,  which  were  characteristic  of 
all  Washington’s  business  affairs.  His  ac- 
count books,  of  which  there  were  many,  are 
models  of  accuracy  and  neatness;  and  never 
did  Mrs.  Washington  get  a pair  of  stockings 
or  a dozen  cotton  handkerchiefs  for  her  maids, 
or  as  many  linen  kerchiefs  for  herself,  or  a hat 
and  feather  for  Miss  Custis,  but  it  was  straight- 
way set  down  upon  its  own  especial  page  of  the 
account  book,  under  its  own  date. 

Washington’s  letters  and  diaries  are  filled 
with  accounts  of  his  experiments  in  farming, 
in  draining,  ditching,  hedging,  and  in  fertiliz- 
ing the  rather  poor  soil  of  his  estate,  and  the 

GO 


EARLY  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


fact  that  barrels  of  flour  stamped  “ George 
Washington,  Mount  Vernon,”  were  exempted 
from  inspection  in  the  West  India  ports,  was 
a distinction  of  which  the  owner  was  as  proud 
as  of  his  military  honors.  While  her  husband 
was  actively  engaged  upon  his  farms,  Mrs. 
Washington,  like  the  model  woman  of  the 
Proverbs,  “looked  well  to  the  ways  of  her 
household,”  and  both  seem  to  have  delighted 
to  “rise  while  it  was  yet  night.” 

More  than  one  contemporaneous  chronicler 
has  recorded  that  the  master  of  Mount  Vernon 
always  rose  betimes,  usually  at  four  o’clock  in 
the  morning,  making  his  own  fire  in  the  win- 
ter season,  in  this  way,  as  he  himself  ex- 
plained, accomplishing  a day’s  work  while 
others  slept.  Mrs.  Washington,  not  to  be  out- 
done by  her  spouse,  gave  many  of  her  house- 
hold orders  before  breakfast,  thus  securing 
leisure  for  her  devotions,  which  always  occu- 
pied the  first  hour  after  breakfast,  for  her 
gardening,  her  needlework,  her  charities,  and, 
above  all,  time  to  attend  to  the  health  and 
education  of  her  children,  and  to  receive  and 
entertain  the  numerous  guests  who  were  con- 
stantly arriving  at  the  Mansion  House,  as  the 
Mount  Vernon  property  was  called  to  distin- 
guish it  from  the  adjacent  farms. 

The  personal  supervision  of  an  estate  of 
ci 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


over  four  thousand  acres  of  land,  upon  whose 
various  farms,  named  Muddy  Hill,  River, 
Dogue  Run,  and  Union,  more  than  two  hun- 
dred negroes  were  employed,  would  in  it- 
self seem  sufficient  to  engage  the  energies  of 
the  most  active  landlord.  In  the  care  and 
training  of  the  negroes,  especially  those  em- 
ployed about  the  Mansion  House,  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington assisted  her  husband.  The  welfare  of 
these  slaves,  of  whom  one  hundred  and  fifty 
had  been  a part  of  her  dower ; their  clothing, 
much  of  which  was  woven  and  made  upon  the 
estate*,  their  comfort,  especially  when  ill;  and 
their  instruction  in  sewing,  knitting,  and 
other  housewifely  arts,  engaged  much  of  Mrs. 
Washington’s  time  and  thought. 

We  cannot  wonder  that  these  busy  people 
never  found  the  days  too  long.  Our  only 
cause  for  wonder  is  that  they  had  time  and 
strength  left  for  the  large  amount  of  socia- 
bility and  pleasure  that  entered  into  their 
lives.  Although  Washington,  in  addition  to 
all  his  duties  at  home  and  abroad,  planted 
and  grafted  several  hundred  trees  in  one 
season,  and  entered  in  his  diary,  with  great 
satisfaction,  the  fact  that  he  had  set  a plough 
of  his  own  invention  to  work  in  the  lower 
pasture,  he  seems  always  to  have  had  leisure 
to  go  about  with  his  wife  to  dinners,  chris- 
62 


EARLY  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


tenings,  and  other  neighborhood  festivities. 
One  day  he  records  that  he  “ set  off  with  Mrs. 
Washington  and  Patcy,  Mr.  W[arner]  Wash- 
ington and  wife,  Mrs.  Bushrod  and  Miss  Wash- 
ington and  Mr.  Magowen  for  ‘Towelston,’  in 
order  to  stand  for  Mr.  B.  Fairfax’s  third  son, 
which  I did  with  my  wife,  Mr.  Warner  Wash- 
ington and  his  lady.”  Another  day  he  returns 
from  attending  to  the  purchase  of  Western 
lands  to  find  that  Colonel  Bassett,  his  wife 
and  children,  have  arrived  during  his  absence, 
“Billy  and  Nancy  and  Mr.  Warner  Wash- 
ington being  here  also.  ” The  next  day  the 
gentlemen  go  a-hunting  together,  Mr.  Bryan 
Fairfax  having  joined  them  for  the  hunt  and 
the  dinner  that  followed. 

So  the  days  went  by,  the  serious  business  of 
life  being  interspersed  with  many  pleasures, 
especially  in  the  hunting  season,  when  Wash- 
ington spent  days  together  in  pursuit  of  the 
fox,  which  he  sometimes  joyfully  records  that 
he  “catched.”  At  other  times,  he  joined  his 
neighbors  in  fishing  or  in  shooting  the  canvas- 
back,  in  which  the  shores  of  the  Potomac 
abounded  at  certain  seasons. 

Mr.  Irving  speaks  of  water  parties  upon  the 
Potomac  in  these  palmy  days,  when  Mr.  Pigges 
would  receive  his  guests  in  a barge  rowed  by 
six  negroes  arrayed  in  a uniform  whose  dis- 

63 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


tinguishing  features  were  check  shirts  and 
black  velvet  caps.  At  one  time,  he  says,  “ the 
whole  neighborhood  was  thrown  into  a parox- 
ysm of  festivity  by  the  anchoring  of  the  Brit- 
ish frigate  [the  Boston]  in  the  river,  just  in 
front  of  the  hospitable  mansion  of  the  Fair- 
faxes. A succession  of  dinners  and  breakfasts 
takes  place  at  Mount  Vernon  and  Belvoir,  with 
occasional  tea  parties  on  board  of  the  frigate.” 

During  the  hunting  season,  the  Virginia 
planter  kept  open  house  for  weeks  at  a time. 
In  the  exercise  of  such  hospitality  the  Wash- 
ingtons did  their  full  share.  Some  authorities 
state  that  Mrs.  Washington  and  the  ladies 
visiting  her  at  times  rode  with  the  hounds. 
This  may  be  true ; but  from  what  we  know 
of  Mrs.  Washington,  it  would  seem  much 
more  to  her  taste  to  stay  at  home  and  super- 
intend the  preparation  of  delectable  dishes 
to  set  before  the  hungry  hunters,  than  to 
career  over  the  fields  after  them  in  a scarlet 
habit. 

If  Washington  recorded  in  his  diary  that  he 
and  Mrs.  Washington  and  Mr.  and  Miss  Custis 
dined  one  day  at  Belvoir  with  the  Fairfaxes, 
there  were  many  other  days  when  the  Fair- 
faxes, Masons,  Diggeses,  Lewises  and  other 
neighbors  dined  at  Mount  Vernon.  We  can 
imagine  Mrs.  Washington’s  housewifely  pride, 

64 


EARLY  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


when  she  welcomed  these  guests  to  her  sumptu- 
ously spread  table,  especially  when  Mr.  Mason 
of  Gunston  Hall,  or  his  Lordship  from  Green- 
way Court  commended  her  good  cheer.  Those 
were  days  when  the  highest  lady  in  the  land 
prided  herself  upon  her  culinary  skill ; and 
while  the  gentlemen  lingered  over  their  wine, 
as  they  were  too  prone  to  linger,  the  fair  dames 
would  gather  around  their  hostess  in  the 
drawing-room,  or  upon  the  lovely  terraces 
overlooking  the  river,  to  indulge  in  neighborly 
gossip  over  their  fragrant  Bohea,  and  to  ex- 
change recipes.  Those  of  Mrs.  Washington 
were,  we  may  be  sure,  in  great  request,  hav- 
ing about  them,  in  addition  to  their  own  ex- 
cellence, a fine  flavor  of  the  Williamsburg 
aristocracy. 

Warm-hearted,  open-handed  hospitality  was 
constantly  exercised  at  Mount  Vernon,  and  if 
the  master  humbly  recorded  that,  although  he 
owned  a hundred  cows,  he  had  sometimes  to 
buy  butter  for  his  family,  the  entry  seems  to 
have  been  made  in  no  spirit  of  fault-finding. 

A pleasant  little  story  is  told  of  later  days, 
when  the  Washingtons  were  often  away  from 
home,  and  Lund  Washington  was  superin- 
tendent at  the  Mansion  House.  The  General 
seems  to  have  taken  Lund  to  task  for  the 
amount  of  bacon  which  the  smoke-house  con- 


5 


65 


MARTS  A WASHINGTON 


tained,  to  which  the  latter  replied,  with  ready- 
tact  and  naivete:  “When  I put  it  up,  I ex- 
pected Mrs.  Washington  would  have  lived  at 
home,  if  you  did  not;  and  was  I to  judge  the 
future  from  the  past  consumption,  there  would 
have  been  a use  for  it,  — for  I believe  Mrs. 
Washington’s  charitable  disposition  increases 
in  the  same  proportion  with  her  meat  house.” 
To  the  logical  excuses  of  his  genial  kinsman 
Washington  made  no  reply,  for,  great  general 
that  he  was,  he  was  wise  enough  to  appreciate 
the  fact  that  in  domestic  matters  he  could  not 
always  be  commander-in-chief. 

As  Martha  Custis  advanced  toward  woman- 
hood she  became  interested  in  the  good  works 
that  occupied  so  much  of  her  mother’s  time, 
and  the  beautiful  face  of  the  “dark  lady,”  as 
she  was  called,  in  consequence  of  her  brunette 
complexion  and  dark  eyes,  was  known  and 
loved  in  many  homes  of  sorrow  and  suffering. 
Washington  was  deeply  attached  to  this  lovely 
girl,  whose  gentleness  and  sweetness  strongly 
appealed  to  his  manly  nature.  It  is  evident 
that  he  realized,  even  if  Mrs.  Washington 
did  not,  the  cloud  that  was  soon  to  darken  the 
sunshine  of  their  happy  home.  In  1769,  he 
wrote  to  Colonel  Armstrong  from  the  Warm 
Springs  of  Virginia,  whither  he  had  gone  with 
Mrs.  Washington  and  her  daughter,  “the  lat- 
66 


EARLY  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


ter,”  he  said,  “ being  troubled  with  a complaint, 
which  the  efficacy  of  these  waters  it  is  thought 
might  remove.”  The  waters  not  proving  of 
service,  and  the  medical  skill  of  that  day  be- 
ing powerless  to  check  the  progress  of  the 
insidious  malady,  which  seems,  from  all  ac- 
counts, to  have  been  consumption,  Patsy  Cus- 
tis,  as  she  was  called,  declined  slowly  but 
surely. 

No  picture  of  the  Washingtons  in  their 
home  would  be  complete  without  some  mention 
of  the  sincere  religious  feeling  that  character- 
ized their  private  and  public  life.  Wash- 
ington was  a vestryman  at  Christ  Church, 
Alexandria,  and  in  Truro  Parish,  in  the  re- 
building of  whose  church  he  had  taken  an 
active  interest.  This  latter  church,  Pohick, 
being  within  easy  distance  of  Mount  Vernon, 
was  usually  attended  by  the  Washington 
family.  During  the  war  this  church  seems  to 
have  fallen  into  disuse,  and  after  their  return 
to  their  home,  in  1783,  General  and  Mrs. 
Washington  attended  Christ  Church,  Alexan- 
dria. That  this  couple  combined  a.ctive  and 
systematic  benevolence  with  their  other  reli- 
gious duties  is  evident  from  the  following 
directions  sent  by  the  General  to  his  cousin 
Lund  after  Mrs.  Washington’s  departure  for 
Cambridge : “ Let  the  hospitality  of  the  house 
67 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


with  respect  to  the  poor  be  kept  up.  Let  no 
one  go  hungry  away.  If  any  of  this  kind  of 
people  should  be  in  want  of  corn,  supply  their 
necessaries,  provided  it  does  not  encourage 
them  to  idleness ; and  I have  no  objection  to 
your  giving  my  money  in  charity  to  the 
amount  of  forty  or  fifty  pounds  a year  where 
you  think  it  well  bestowed.  What  I mean  by 
having  no  objection  is,  that  it  is  my  desire  it 
should  be  done.  You  are  to  consider  that 
neither  myself  nor  wife,  is  now  in  the  way 
to  do  those  good  offices.  ” 


68 


Y 


THE  SHADOW  OF  COMING  EVENTS 

Into  this  old  Virginia  life,  full  of  the  pleas- 
ant stir  of  business  and  the  genial  exchange  of 
visits  and  neighborly  courtesies,  there  crept 
murmurs  of  discontent,  low  in  the  beginning, 
then  louder  and  bolder.  First  came  the  Stamp 
Act,  which  pressed  hard  upon  the  planter  of 
Virginia,  as  upon  the  farmer  and  merchant  of 
Massachusetts,  and  upon  the  importer  and 
manufacturer  of  Pennsylvania ; then  the  voice 
of  Patrick  Henry  as  of  a prophet  crying  in  the 
wilderness,  speedily  followed  by  the  dissolving 
of  the  Virginia  House  of  Burgesses;  then 
compromise,  and  that  period  of  nearly  ten 
years  when  the  cry  was  “Peace,  peace;  when 
there  was  no  peace,”  for  resistance  was  in  the 
thoughts  of  men  and  war  was  in  the  air. 

All  these  signs  of  the  times  were  watched 
with  eager  interest  by  the  little  family  at 
Mount  Vernon,  and  were  talked  over  at  their 
hunts  and  dinners  by  Washington  and  his 
neighbors.  Although  he  numbered  among  his 

69 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


associates  many  advanced  patriots,  he  had 
warm  friends  upon  the  other  side  of  the  ques- 
tion, among  these  Lord  Fairfax  and  Bryan 
Fairfax,  beside  which  he  had  always  held 
pleasant  unofficial  relations  with  the  several 
governors  of  the  Colony. 

When  Richard  Henry  Lee,  an  old  Westmore- 
land friend,  and  Edmund  Pendleton  and  fiery 
young  Patrick  Henry  and  George  Mason  of 
Gunston  Hall,  author  of  the  famous  Bill  of 
Rights,  met  the  Fairfaxes  around  the  dinner 
table  at  Mount  Vernon,  we  can  well  believe 
that  the  debate  ran  high  and  lasted  long. 
Many  of  these  discussions  naturally  took  place 
in  Mrs.  Washington’s  presence,  and  although 
an  habitually  quiet  woman  in  company,  taking 
no  leading  part  in  general  conversation,  “she 
treasured  these  things  and  pondered  them  in 
her  heart ; ” and  when  the  time  came  for  action, 
was  ready  to  take  her  stand. 

George  Mason  prepared  his  non-importation 
agreements  for  Virginia  at  Washington’s 
request;  the  latter  laid  them  before  the  House 
of  Burgesses,  and  thenceforth  none  of  the  arti- 
cles taxed  by  the  English  government  were 
imported  for  the  Mount  Vernon  household. 
Although  Arthur  Lee  wrote  from  London  of 
the  “ increased  orders  for  fineries  ” from  the 
ladies  of  Williamsburg  during  the  administra- 

70 


THE  SHADOW  OF  COMING  EVENTS 


tion  of  Governor  Botetourt,  many  luxuries  of 
the  toilet  and  household,  which  from  long  use 
had  come  to  seem  like  necessities,  were  tabooed, 
along  with  the  fragrant  cup  of  tea  dear  to  the 
heart  of  the  Colonial  matron  North  and  South. 
In  their  patriotic  desire  to  starve  the  traders 
and  manufacturers  of  the  mother  country,  Mrs. 
Washington,  who  would  not  have  the  heart  to 
starve  her  direst  foe  within  her  own  gates, 
heartily  co-operated  with  her  husband  and  his 
colleagues.  The  spinning  wheels  and  carding 
and  weaving  machines  were  set  to  work  with 
fresh  spirit  at  Mount  Vernon.  It  seemed, 
indeed,  as  if  some  of  the  patriotism  of  the 
mistress  of  the  mansion  was  woven  into  the 
threads  of  the  cloth  of  which  she  was  so  proud, 
and  which  she  wore  so  frequently  during  the 
war.  Some  years  later,  in  New  Jersey,  Mrs. 
Washington  told  a friend  that  she  often  kept 
sixteen  spinning  wheels  in  constant  operation, 
and  at  one  time  Lund  Washington  spoke  of  an 
even  larger  number.  Two  of  her  own  dresses, 
of  cotton  striped  with  silk,  Mrs.  Washington 
showed  with  great  pride,  explaining  that  the 
silk  stripes  in  the  fabric  were  made  from  the 
ravellings  of  brown  silk  stockings  and  old 
crimson  damask  chair  covers.  Her  coachman, 
footman  and  maid  were  all  attired  in  domestic 
cloth,  excepting  the  coachman’s  scarlet  cuffs, 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


which  she  took  care  to  state  had  been  imported 
before  the  war.  These  simple  homespun  gar- 
ments contrasted  strongly  with  the  rich  bro- 
cades and  delicate  embroidered  muslins  which 
Colonel  Washington  delighted  to  import  for 
his  wife’s  use,  and  in  which  she  was  wont  to 
array  herself,  with  great  splendor,  when  she 
dined  with  a neighbor,  or  drove  to  Alexandria 
with  her  family  to  attend  a ball  or  the  play. 

The  pleasant  social  life  at  Mount  Vernon, 
and  even  the  active  interest  of  the  family  in 
public  events,  were  eclipsed  for  a time  by  the 
illness  and  rapid  decline  of  the  lovely  young 
daughter  of  the  house,  Martha  Custis.  Al- 
though she  had  been  more  or  less  delicate  for 
several  years,  Patsy’s  health  suddenly  became 
a cause  of  keen  anxiety  to  her  parents. 

In  addition  to  her  anxiety  about  her  daugh- 
ter’s health,  the  future  of  John  Custis  was  a 
source  of  much  solicitude  to  Mrs.  Washington 
and  his  guardian. 

He,  who  was  afterwards  the  most  devoted 
and  satisfactory  of  sons,  in  these  early  years 
seems  to  have  been  wayward,  vacillating,  and 
unsettled.  In  1771,  his  inclination  drew  him 
strongly  toward  a European  tour,  to  which  his 
step-father  objected,  feeling  that  his  education 
had  not  advanced  sufficiently  to  enable  him 
to  get  the  full  benefit  of  such  a trip.  In  a 


THE  SHADOW  OF  COMING  EVENTS 


letter  written  to  Dr.  Bouckier,  he  says  that, 
although  young  Custis  knew  something  of 
Latin,  he  knew  nothing  of  Greek,  nor  of 
French,  the  latter  so  necessary  for  a traveller 
on  the  Continent.  Mrs.  Washington,  mother- 
like, was  ready  to  put  aside  her  own  fears  and 
desires  if  her  son  were  determined  upon  the 
voyage,  and  if  it  should  be  judged  for  his 
benefit.  Fortunately,  for  the  sake  of  the  ten- 
der mother’s  heart,  soon  to  be  shadowed  by 
a great  sorrow,  Jacky  Custis  suddenly  aban- 
doned his  European  project.  Whether  or  not 
it  was  the  beaux  yeux  of  fair  Eleanor  Calvert 
that  first  drew  him  away  from  thoughts  of  rov- 
ing abroad,  these  same  lovely  eyes  soon  came 
in  between  him  and  book  learning,  until  his 
guardian,  realizing  that  Annapolis  was  too 
near  the  Calverts’  home  for  the  young  student 
to  continue  his  studies  to  any  purpose,  carried 
him  off  to  King’s  College,  New  York. 

Eleanor  Calvert,  a beautiful  and  charming 
girl,  was  the  daughter  of  Benedict  Calvert,  of 
Mount  Airy,  Maryland,  a man  of  wealth,  dis- 
tinction, and  high  social  connections,  being  a 
lineal  descendant  of  the  first  Lord  Baltimore. 
Nothing  could  have  been  more  gratifying  to 
Mrs.  Washington  than  such  a marriage  for  her 
son.  The  only  obstacle  in  the  way  was  the 
extreme  youth  of  the  pair.  John  Custis  was 
73 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


about  seventeen  at  this  time  and  Eleanor  Cal- 
vert two  or  three  years  his  junior.  When  it 
was  discovered  that  the  young  couple  had  taken 
matters  into  their  own  hands  and  formed  a 
matrimonial  engagement  without  the  knowl- 
edge of  their  parents,  Colonel  Washington  sent 
the  young  lady’s  father  a letter,  which  must 
have  been  exceedingly  difficult  to  write,  but 
which  was  so  replete  with  the  sound  logic  of 
common  sense,  so  courteous  in  its  expressions, 
and  so  appreciative  of  the  sentiments  of  the 
young  people  and  of  the  charms  of  the  little 
maiden,  that  she  must  have  loved  her  future 
step-father  from  the  moment  of  its  arrival.  In 
this  letter  the  writer  says:  “I  should  think 
myself  wanting  in  candor  were  I not  to  confess 
that  Miss  Nelly’s  amiable  qualities  are  ac- 
knowledged on  all  hands,  and  that  an  alliance 
with  your  family  will  be  pleasing  to  his.  ” He 
then  speaks  of  the  unfinished  education  of 
the  youthful  lover,  mentions  with  dignity 
his  worldly  advantages  in  lands,  slaves  and 
moneys,  and  concludes  by  proposing  an  engage- 
ment of  two  years’  duration.  This  letter  was 
written  in  April,  1773.  The  Calverts  and  the 
young  couple  apparently  acquiescing  in  its 
most  sensible  terms,  Colonel  Washington  took 
John  Custis  to  New  York  himself,  and  after 
entering  him  at  King’s  College,  for  a two 

74 


THE  SHADOW  OF  COMING  EVENTS 


years’  course,  stopped  at  Philadelphia  to  enjoy 
the  meetings  of  the  Jockey  Club,  to  attend 
several  festivities,  and  above  all,  to  meet  the 
prominent  men  of  the  day,  and  learn  from 
them  the  feeling  of  Pennsylvania  with  regard 
to  the  important  public  questions  of  the  hour. 

Upon  his  return  to  Mount  Vernon,  Wash- 
ington set  out  for  Williamsburg,  having  an 
engagement  with  the  Governor  to  accompany 
him  upon  a tour  to  the  western  frontier  of 
Virginia.  From  this  business  he  was  sud- 
denly recalled  by  an  alarming  message  from 
home,  which  he  only  reached  in  time  to  have 
his  dearly  loved  ward,  and  adopted  daughter, 
breathe  her  last  in  his  arms.  The  great 
strong  nature,  that  knew  not  how  to  love 
lightly,  was  shaken  to  its  foundations  by  the 
passing  from  their  midst  of  the  gentle  spirit 
of  Patsy  Custis.  “ Her  delicate  health,”  says  a 
family  chronicler,  “ or  perhaps  her  fond  affec- 
tion for  the  only  father  she  had  ever  known, 
so  endeared  her  to  the  4 general,  ’ that  he  knelt 
at  her  dying  bed,  and  with  a passionate  burst 
of  tears  prayed  aloud  that  her  life  might  be 
spared,  unconscious  that  even  then  her  spirit 
had  departed.  ” 

Washington  at  once  relinquished  his  trip  to 
the  Ohio  with  Lord  Dunmore,  and  remained  at 
home  to  console  his  wife.  The  following 
75 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


letter,  written  to  his  brother-in-law,  reveals 
his  own  grief  and  his  tender  consideration  for 
the  even  deeper  sorrow  of  Mrs.  Washington:  — 

Mount  Vernon,  20d  June  1773 

Dear  Sir,  — It  is  an  easier  matter  to  conceive, 
than  to  describe  the  distress  of  this  Family;  es- 
pecial that  of  the  unhappy  Parent  of  our  Dear 
Patsy  Custis,  when  I inform  you  that  yesterday 
removed  the  Sweet  Innocent  Girl  [who]  Entered 
into  a more  happy  & peaceful  abode  than  any  she 
has  met  with  in  the  afflicted  Path  she  hitherto  has 
trod. 

She  rose  from  Dinner  about  four  o’clock  in  better 
health  and  Spirits  than  she  appeared  to  have  been 
in  for  some  time;  soon  after  which,  she  was  seized 
with  one  of  her  usual  Fits,  & expired  in  it,  in 
less  than  two  minutes  without  uttering  a word,  a 
groan,  or  scarce  a sigh.  — This  sudden,  and  unex- 
pected blow,  I scarce  need  add,  has  almost  reduced 
my  poor  Wife  to  the  lowest  ebb  of  Misery;  which 
is  encreas’d  by  the  absence  of  her  son,  (whom  I 
have  just  fixed  at  the  College  in  New  York  from 
whence  I returned  the  8-  Inst)  and  want  of  the 
balmy  consolation  of  her  Eelations;  which  leads 
me  more  than  ever  to  wish  she  could  see  them, 
and  that  I was  Master  of  Arguments  powerful 
enough  to  prevail  upon  Mrs.  Dandridge  to  make 
this  place  her  entire  & absolute  home.  I should 
think  as  she  lives  a lonesome  life  (Betsey  being 
married)  it  might  suit  her  well,  & be  agreeable, 


THE  SHADOW  OF  COMING  EVENTS 


both  to  herself  & my  Wife,  to  me,  most  assur- 
edly, it  -would.  I do  not  purpose  to  add  more  at 
present,  the  end  of  my  writing  being  only  to 
inform  you  of  this  unhappy  change. 

From  these  expressions  with  regard  to  Mrs. 
John  Dandridge,  it  would  appear  that  she 
was  a rara  avis  among  mothers-in-law,  as  well 
as  a much  loved  step-mother. 

After  the  death  of  her  daughter,  Mrs. 
Washington’s  affections  and  hopes  naturally 
centred  in  her  only  son,  to  whom  she  was 
extremely  indulgent,  often  pleading  in  his 
behalf  when  his  guardian  thought  it  impor- 
tant to  exercise  wholesome  restraint  upon 
him.  It  may  have  been  in  consequence  of 
this  tender,  if  misguided,  maternal  interven- 
tion, that  “Jacky”  was  allowed  to  return 
home  after  a three  months’  instead  of  a two 
years’  sojourn  at  King’s  College.  Being  now 
near  the  object  of  his  affections,  it  was  not 
to  be  expected  that  the  agreement  in  regard 
to  the  duration  of  the  engagement  would  con- 
tinue to  hold  good.  Consequently,  with  the 
consent  of  the  parents  on  both  sides,  and 
apparently  to  their  great  satisfaction,  John 
Parke  Custis  and  Eleanor  Calvert  were  mar- 
ried at  Mount  Airy,  on  the  third  day  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1774.  A portrait  of  the  bride,  painted 
a short  time  before  her  marriage,  represents 
77 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


a young  girl  with  a charming  open  counte- 
nance, of  slight  figure,  attired  in  a riding 
habit  and  wearing  a boy’s  hat  upon  her  pretty 
head. 

Colonel  Washington  attended  the  wedding 
of  his  ward,  but  Mrs.  Washington  was  still 
feeling  the  recent  death  of  her  daughter  too 
keenly  to  enter  into  the  gayeties  of  the  hour. 
By  the  hands  of  her  husband,  she  sent  the 
following  tender  and  motherly  greeting  to  the 
little  bi’ide : — 

My  dear  Nelly,  — God  took  from  Me  a Daugh- 
ter when  June  Boses  were  blooming  — He  has  now 
given  me  another  daughter,  about  her  Age  when 
Winter  winds  are  blowing,  to  warm  my  Heart 
again.  I am  as  Happy  as  One  so  Afflicted  and  so 
Blest  can  be.  Pray  receive  my  Benediction  and  a 
wish  that  you  may  long  live  the  Loving  Wife  of 
my  happy  Son,  and  a Loving  Daughter  of 

Your  Affectionate  Mother 

M.  Washington.1 

Wisdom  was  justified  of  her  children  in  this 
instance,  for  what  may  at  the  time  have  been 
considered  womanly  weakness  and  over- 
indulgence  on  the  part  of  Mrs.  Washington, 
proved  a measure  worthy  of  the  wisest  head. 
It  seemed  as  if  “ Jacky  ” Custis,  who  possessed 

1 Copied  by  Mr.  Lossing  from  the  original  at  Arlington 
House,  in  1860. 


78 


THE  SHADOW  OF  COMING  EVENTS 


a generous  and  affectionate  nature,  only  needed 
a good  wife  to  anchor  him  fast  to  love  and  duty 
at  home,  and  to  incite  him  to  good  citizenship 
and  patriotism  abroad. 

Life  opened  brightly  for  this  young  couple. 
Handsome,  well  born,  and  amply  endowed 
with  worldly  goods,  it  seemed  as  if  fortune 
had  nothing  more  to  offer  them.  Their  home 
at  Abingdon,  on  the  Potomac,  a part  of  the 
estate  of  John  Custis,  which  lay  not  far  from 
Mount  Yernon,  became  a new  centre  of 
happiness  and  interest  to  Mrs.  Washington. 
In  the  pleasant  spring  days  of  1774,  when  the 
two  families  were  like  the  birds  engaged  in  the 
cheerful  business  of  home  making,  there  came 
ominous  tidings  from  Williamsburg,  which 
called  Colonel  Washington  thither. 

The  mutterings  of  discontent  through  all 
the  Colonies  had  grown  louder  and  more  in- 
sistent. The  Virginia  Resolutions  were  une- 
quivocal and  produced  a decided  effect  abroad, 
as  well  as  at  home,  where  the  crisis  was  pre- 
cipitated by  the  news  of  the  enforcement  of  the 
Boston  Port  Bill,  and  by  the  arbitrary  proceed- 
ings of  Lord  Dunmore. 

Disposed  to  surround  himself  with  much 
ceremony  and  state,  Governor  Dunmore  had 
been  unpopular  from  the  hour  of  his  arrival  in 
Virginia,  and  now  became  intolerable  when 

79 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


he  showed  his  determination  to  treat  patriots 
like  unreasoning  children  of  monarchy,  and 
to  crush  out  what  he  was  pleased  to  consider 
the  spirit  of  rebellion  under  the  iron  heel  of 
royal  authority. 

Colonel  Washington  was  much  in  Williams- 
burg during  these  stirring  times,  paying  his 
court  to  the  new  Governor,  as  was  his  duty, 
and  attending  the  ball  given  in  honor  of  the 
arrival  of  Lady  Dunmore  and  her  daughter  at 
the  Old  Capitol ; but  by  no  means  failing  to 
assist  at  a meeting  of  the  Burgesses  held  the 
next  morning  in  the  “ Appolo  room  ” of  the 
Raleigh  Tavern,  where  resolutions  were  passed 
in  favor  of  a congress  of  delegates  from  all  the 
Colonies. 

Whether  Mrs.  Washington  was  with  her 
husband  in  Williamsburg,  or  at  Mount  Vernon 
at  this  time,  we  do  not  know ; probably  at  the 
latter  place,  as  she  seems  to  have  lived  in  great 
retirement  after  the  death  of  her  daughter, 
avoiding  all  public  ceremonies.  Wherever 
she  was,  we  may  be  sure  that  earnest  prayers 
for  her  country,  and  for  her  own  and  her  hus- 
band’s guidance  in  these  hours  of  trial,  were 
offered  by  this  devout  woman.  If  George 
Mason  desired  the  elder  children  of  his  “dear 
little  family  to  attend  church  in  mourning” 
on  the  day  appointed  for  fasting  and  prayer, 
so 


THE  SHADOW  OF  COMING  EVENTS 


the  solemn  season  was  no  less  strictly  observed 
at  Mount  Yernon.  That  Washington  kept 
the  day  we  learn  from  his  own  words;  and 
as  Mr.  Lodge  says,  in  commenting  upon  Lord 
Dunmore’s  attitude  at  this  critical  period, 
“He  might  well  have  reflected,  which  he 
undoubtedly  failed  to  do,  that  when  men  of 
the  George  Washington  type  fast  and  pray  on 
account  of  political  misdoings,  it  is  well  for 
their  opponents  to  look  to  it  carefully.”  Yet 
even  in  this  period  of  anxiety  Washington’s 
cheerfulness  does  not  seem  to  have  deserted 
him,  or  his  zest  for  his  favorite  amusements 
when  occasion  offered. 

It  was  at  this  time,  when  many  prudent  per- 
sons held  back,  and  when  those  who  pressed 
forward  felt  that  they  were  taking  a step  in 
the  dark,  that  Mrs.  Washington  showed  her 
strength  of  character  and  her  implicit  confi- 
dence in  her  husband’s  judgment.  Her  heart 
must  have  been  filled  with  anxious  forebod- 
ings when,  in  September,  1774,  she  saw  him 
preparing  to  leave  his  home  to  attend  the  Gen- 
eral Congress  in  Philadelphia.  Patrick  Henry 
and  Edmund  Pendleton,  colleagues  of  Wash- 
ington’s in  the  Virginia  delegation,  spent  a day 
and  night  with  him  at  Mount  Yernon  on  their 
way  to  Philadelphia.  Writing  to  a friend  of 
this  visit,  Mr.  Pendleton  said : — 

6 81 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


“ I was  much  pleased  with  Mrs.  Washington  and 
her  spirit.  She  seemed  ready  to  make  any  sacrifice 
and  was  cheerful  though  I know  she  felt  anxious. 
She  talked  like  a Spartan  mother  to  her  son  on 
going  to  battle.  ‘ I hope  you  will  all  stand  firm  — 
I know  George  will,’  she  said.  The  dear  little 
woman  was  busy  from  morning  until  night  with 
domestic  duties,  but  she  gave  us  much  time  in  con- 
versation and  affording  us  entertainment.  When 
we  set  off  in  the  morning,  she  stood  in  the  door  and 
cheered  us  with  the  good  words,  ‘ God  be  with  you 
gentlemen.’  ” 

With  such  courageous  words  upon  her  lips, 
Martha  Washington  saw  her  husband  set  forth 
upon  an  errand,  hazardous  in  the  extreme, 
which,  if  successful,  meant  long  contention, 
probable  recourse  to  arms,  and  if  unsuccessful, 
the  possible  loss  of  life  and  the  almost  certain 
confiscation  of  large  estates,  such  as  theirs. 
Yet,  in  the  face  of  these  alternatives,  to  a 
kinswoman  who  bewailed  the  “ folly  ” of  the 
undertaking,  she  wrote  that  she  foresaw  con- 
sequences, dark  days  and  darker  nights ; 
domestic  happiness  suspended;  social  enjoy- 
ments abandoned  and  property  of  every  kind 
put  in  jeopardy  by  war  perhaps,  adding,  “ But 
what  are  all  these  evils  when  compared  with 
the  fate  of  which  the  Port  Bill  may  be  only  a 
threat  ? My  mind  is  made  up ; my  heart  is  in 
the  cause.” 


82 


THE  SHADOW  OF  COMING  EVENTS 


One  writer  speaks  of  Mrs.  Washington  as 
“a  sympathetic  companion  to  her  distin- 
guished husband,”  and  Mr.  Woodrow  Wilson 
very  truly  names  her  a “ staunch  lady ; ” but 
no  person  who  has  written  of  this  woman  has 
done  justice  to  her  high  courage  and  unswerv- 
ing patriotism.  Not  Mercy  Warren,  or  Abigail 
Adams  of  Massachusetts,  or  Annis  Stockton 
of  New  Jersey,  or  Margaret  Schuyler  of  New 
York,  or  Mary  Morris,  or  Sarah  Bache,  of 
Pennsylvania,  was  more  zealous  in  the  cause 
of  liberty  than  Martha  Washington  of  Vir- 
ginia. None  of  these,  with  the  exception  of 
Mrs.  Morris,  had  as  much  at  stake  in  worldly 
goods;  none  gave  more  of  what  the  heart 
holds  dearest,  for  when  the  hour  and  the  cause 
demanded  his  service,  she,  the  tenderest  of 
mothers,  gave  her  only  son  to  the  hazard- 
ous enterprise  in  which  her  husband  was 
engaged. 

When  Washington  returned  from  the  ses- 
sions of  this  first  Congress,  he  doubtless  told 
his  family  of  the  effect  produced  by  the  Vir- 
ginia delegation  in  that  historic  gathering  in 
Carpenter’s  Hall,  dwelling  upon  the  honor 
shown  to  Peyton  Randolph  and  the  acknowl- 
edged leadership  of  his  colleagues,  Lee  and 
Patrick  Henry;  but  we  may  be  sure  that  he 
found  no  words  in  which  to  tell  them  how  his 

83 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


own  sound  judgment  and  soldierly  bearing 
had  impressed  the  delegates  from  North  and 
South. 

To  the  next  Congress,  that  of  May,  1775, 
Washington  set  forth  in  his  uniform  of  a Vir- 
ginia colonel.  This  circumstance,  while  it 
plainly  revealed  his  own  attitude  of  mind, 
must  in  some  measure  have  prepared  the  wife 
at  home  for  a letter,  which  she  soon  after 
received,  — a letter  which  for  manliness,  ten- 
derness and  modesty  has  seldom  been  equalled 
by  lover  or  husband. 

This  letter  was  written  from  Philadelphia, 
on  June  18,  1775:  — 

My  Deakest,  — I now  sit  down  to  write  to 
you  on  a subject  which  fills  me  with  inexpres- 
sible concern,  and  this  concern  is  greatly  ag- 
gravated and  increased  when  I reflect  upon  the 
uneasiness  I know  it  will  give  you.  It  has  been 
determined  in  Congress  that  the  whole  army  raised 
for  the  defence  of  the  American  cause  shall  he  put 
under  my  Care,  and  that  it  is  necessary  for  me  to 
proceed  immediately  to  Boston  to  take  upon  me 
the  command  of  it.  You  may  believe  me,  my 
dear  Patsy,  when  I assure  you,  in  the  most  solemn 
manner,  that,  so  far  from  seeking  this  appoint- 
ment, I have  used  every  endeavor  in  my  power  to 
avoid  it,  not  only  from  my  unwillingness  to  part 
with  you  and  the  family,  but  from  a consciousness 
of  its  being  a trust  too  great  for  my  capacity,  and 
84 


THE  SHADOW  OF  COMING  EVENTS 


that  I should  enjoy  more  real  happiness  in  one 
month  with  you  at  home  than  I have  the  most 
distaut  prospect  of  finding  abroad,  if  my  stay  were 
to  be  seven  times  seven  years.  But  as  it  has  been 
a kind  of  destiny  that  has  thrown  me  upon  this 
service,  I shall  hope  that  my  undertaking  is  de- 
signed to  answer  some  good  purpose.  You  might 
and  I suppose  did,  perceive  from  the  tenor  of  my 
letters,  that  I was  apprehensive  I could  not  avoid 
this  appointment,  as  I did  not  pretend  to  intimate 
when  I should  return.  That  was  the  case.  It  was 
utterly  out  of  my  power  to  refuse  this  appointment 
without  exposing  my  character  to  such  censures  as 
would  have  reflected  dishonor  upon  myself  and 
given  pain  to  my  friends.  This,  I am  sure,  could 
not,  and  ought  not  to  be  pleasing  to  you,  and  must 
have  lessened  me  considerably  in  my  own  esteem. 
I shall  rely,  therefore,  confidently  on  that  Provi- 
dence which  has  heretofore  preserved  and  been 
bountiful  to  me,  not  doubting  but  that  I shall  re- 
turn safe  to  you  in  the  fall.  I shall  feel  no  pain 
from  the  toil  or  the  danger  of  the  Campaign;  my 
unhappiness  will  flow  from  the  uneasiness  you  will 
feel  from  being  left  alone.  I therefore  beg  that 
you  will  summon  your  whole  fortitude,  and  pass 
your  time  as  agreeably  as  possible.  Nothing  will 
give  me  so  much  sincere  satisfaction  as  to  hear 
this  and  to  hear  it  from  your  own  pen. 

With  this  letter  Washington  enclosed  his 
will,  adding,  “the  provision  made  for  you 

85 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


in  case  of  my  death  will,  I hope,  be  agree- 
able.”1 

“To  be  the  strength,  the  inmost  joy,  of  a 
man  who,  within  the  conditions  of  his  life, 
seems  to  you  a hero  at  every  turn  — there  is 
no  happiness  more  penetrating  for  a wife  than 
this.”  So  writes  an  eminent  modern  novelist 
of  the  higher  joys  of  married  life.  To  few 
women  was  granted  such  happiness  and  pride 
in  fuller  measure  than  to  Martha  Washington. 
In  all  that  she  did,  or  said,  or  wrote,  she 
showed  her  full  appreciation  of  her  husband’s 
character  and  aims,  and  her  own  earnest  desire 
to  set  her  life  in  the  same  high  key. 

Of  what  married  life  was  to  Washington 
we  may  gather  from  numerous  expressions  in 
his  letters,  from  his  reluctance  to  quit  the 
congenial  atmosphere  of  his  home,  and  from 
his  sympathetic  interest  in  the  love  affairs  of 
his  young  officers.  A letter  of  congratulation, 
written  to  the  Marquis  de  Chastellux,  nearly 
thirty  years  after  his  own  marriage,  contains, 
beneath  its  good-humored  bantering,  an  under- 
current of  such  deep  content  that  we  are 
tempted  to  quote  a passage  from  it  in  answer 
to  those  who  have  of  late  spoken  of  Washing- 
ton’s marriage  as  one  of  convenience,  as  a step 

1 Kecollections  and  Private  Memoirs  of  Washington,  by 
G.  W.  P.  Custis. 


86 


THE  SHADOW  OF  COMING  E VENTS 


toward  his  advancement  in  life,  in  which  his 
affections  were  not  seriously  engaged. 

“In  reading  your  very  friendly  and  acceptable 
letter  of  the  21-  December,  1787,  which  came  to 
hand  by  the  last  mail,  I was  as  you  may  well  sup- 
pose, not  less  delighted  than  surprised  to  come 
across  the  plain  American  word  1 n\y  wife.’  A 
wife!  well,  my  dear  Marquis,  I can  hardly  refrain 
from  smiling  to  find  that  you  are  caught  at  last. 
I saw  by  the  eulogium  you  often  made  on  the 
happiness  of  domestic  life  in  America,  that  you 
had  swallowed  the  bait,  and  that  you  would  as 
surely  be  taken,  (one  day  or  other,)  as  you  was  a 
philosopher  and  a soldier. 

“So  your  day  has  at  length  come:  I am  glad  of 
it  with  all  my  heart  and  soul.  It  is  quite  good 
enough  for  you  ; now  you  are  well  served  for  com- 
ing to  fight  in  favour  of  the  American  Rebels,  all 
the  way  across  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  by  catching 
that  terrible  contagion,  which,  like  the  small-pox, 
or  the  plague,  a man  can  only  have  once  in  his 
life,  because  it  lasts  him,  (at  least  with  us  in 
America  — I don’t  know  how  you  manage  these 
matters  in  France,)  for  his  tvhole  lifetime.” 


87 


VI 


A JOURNEY  TO  CAMBRIDGE 

General  Washington’s  hope,  expressed  in 
his  letter  to  his  wife  upon  taking  command 
of  the  army,  that  he  should  return  to  her  in 
the  fall,  was  not  realized ; indeed,  during  the 
eight  years  to  follow  he  only  visited  twice  the 
home  that  was  so  dear  to  him.  In  October, 
1775,  Lund  Washington,  who  was  left  in  charge 
of  Mount  Vernon,  wrote  to  his  kinsman:  — 

<£’Tis  true  that  many  people  have  made  a stir 
about  Mrs.  Washington’s  continuing  at  Mount 
Vernon,  hut  I cannot  think  her  in  any  sort  of 
danger.  The  thought  I believe  originated  in 
Alexandria.  From  thence  it  got  to  Loudoun.  I 
am  told  the  people  of  Loudoun  talked  of  setting 
a guard  to  conduct  her  into  Berkeley,  with  some 
of  their  principal  men  to  persuade  her  to  leave 
this  and  accept  their  offer.  Mr.  John  Augustine 
Washington  wrote  to  her  pressing  her  to  leave 
Mount  Vernon.  She  does  not  believe  herself  in 
danger,  nor  do  I.  Without  they  attempt  to  take 
her  in  the  dead  of  night,  they  would  fail,  for  ten 
88 


A JOURNEY  TO  CAMBRIDGE 


minutes  notice  would  be  sufficient  for  her  to  get  out 
of  the  waj^.  Lord  Dun  more  will  hardly  venture 
himself  up  this  Iliver,  nor  can  I think  he  will 
send  lip  on  that  errand.  Surely,  her  old  acquaint- 
ance, the  attorney 1 (who  with  his  family  are 
aboard  his  ship)  would  put  him  off  doing  an  act 
of  that  kind.  I have  never  advised  her  to  stay, 
nor  indeed  to  go.  Col.  Bassett  thinks  her  in  no 
danger.  She  sets  off  next  week  with  her  son  and 
daughter  down  to  the  country.” 

Again,  on  October  15,  he  wrote : 

“Mrs.  Washington,  I believe,  was  in  no  appre- 
hension of  Lord  Dunmore’s  doing  her  an  injury, 
until  your  mentioning  it  in  several  of  your  last 
letters.  She  intended  to  set  off  tomorrow  down 
the  country.  I proposed  to  her  to  put  whatever 
she  thought  most  valuable  into  trunks,  and  should 
there  be  a necessity  to  move  them,  it  will  be  sooner 
done.  She  will  stay  tomorrow  and  do  it.  Your 
papers  are  among  the  things  which  will  be  put 
up,  etc.” 

The  thought  of  Lord  Dunmore  carrying  off 
Mrs.  Washington,  either  at  dead  of  night  or 
at  high  noon,  seems  equally  absurd  in  the 
retrospect ; but  to  Virginians,  who  knew  their 
ex-Governor  as  a desperate  and  vindictive  foe, 
ravaging  their  shores  “ in  search  of  what  he 
might  devour,”  the  idea  of  his  despoiling 

1 John  Randolph,  who  accompanied  Lord  Dunmore. 

89 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Mount  Vernon,  obtaining  forcible  possession 
of  the  wife  of  the  leader  of  the  rebellious 
army  and  holding  her  as  a hostage,  appeared 
quite  within  the  bounds  of  possibility. 

That  such  feai’s  were  not  groundless  was 
proved  by  Dunmore’s  later  excursions  along 
the  coast,  his  bombardment  and  burning  of 
the  town  of  Norfolk,  and  by  a last  desperate 
attempt  made  by  him  upon  Mount  Vernon  in 
July,  1776,  when  the  Prince  William  County 
militia  and  a furious  storm  of  wind  and  rain 
drove  the  marauders  forever  from  the  shores 
of  Virginia. 

Although  Mrs.  Washington  seems  to  have 
had  no  fears  for  her  own  safety  in  those 
autumn  days,  the  General  was  evidently  anx- 
ious about  her,  and  her  good  friend  and  neigh- 
bor, Mr.  George  Mason,  considered  her  position 
dangerous,  as  he  sent  her  a message  early  one 
morning  advising  her  to  retire  into  the  country 
away  from  the  coast.  In  writing  to  Washing- 
ton of  this  alarm,  Mr.  Mason,  said  : — 

u I sent  my  family  many  miles  back  in  the 
country,  and  advised  Mrs.  Washington  to  do  like- 
wise, as  a prudential  movement.  At  first  she  said 
‘ No ; I will  not  desert  my  post  ; ’ but  she  finally 
did  so  with  reluctance,  rode  only  a few  miles,  and 
plucky  little  woman  as  she  is,  stayed  away  only 
one  night. 


90 


A JOURNEY  TO  CAMBRIDGE 


Mrs.  “Washington  and  her  son  and  daughter 
were  at  Mr.  Bassett’s,  in  New  Kent  County, 
when  her  husband’s  message  asking  her  to 
join  him  at  Cambridge  reached  her.  Lund 
Washington  wrote  to  the  General  that  she 
would  no  doubt  set  off  at  once,  as  “ she  has 
often  declared  she  would  go  to  camp  if  you 
would  permit  her.”  The  invitation,  as  Mrs. 
Washington  ceremoniously  called  her  hus- 
band’s proposal  to  her  to  join  him,  was  ac- 
cepted, and,  accompanied  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Custis 
and  a maid,  she  set  forth,  a few  days  later, 
upon  her  long  journey  northward.  The  Wash- 
ington chariot,  drawn  by  four  horses,  with  a 
black  coachman  and  a postilion  in  white  and 
scarlet  livery,  naturally  attracted  much  at- 
tention as  it  drove  through  quiet  country 
towns  in  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania ; and 
when  it  was  known  who  was  within  the  coach, 
great  interest  was  excited,  and  villagers  stood 
at  their  doors  and  sidewalks  eager  to  have 
a glimpse  of  the  wife  of  the  Commander-in- 
Chief  on  her  way  to  join  her  husband.  It  had 
been  whispered  that  Mrs.  Washington  was  a 
Tory  at  heart,  and  totally  disapproved  of  the 
stand  taken  by  the  General.  Such  baseless 
rumors  were  entirely  disproved  by  this  jour- 
ney to  Cambridge,  and  when  the  travellers 
reached  Gray’s  Ferry  they  were  met  by  a mili- 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


tary  escort  and  conducted  into  Philadelphia 
with  much  form  and  ceremony.  The  “ Penn- 
sylvania Gazette  ” of  November  22  contained 
the  following : — 

“Yesterday  the  Lady  of  his  Excellency  General 
Washington  arrived  here,  upon  her  way  to  New 
England.  She  was  met  at  the  Lower  Ferry  by 
the  officers  of  the  different  battalions,  the  troop 
of  light  horse,1  and  the  light  infautry  of  the  2d 
battalion,  who  escorted  her  into  the  city.” 

Mr.  Joseph  Reed  met  Mrs.  Washington  and 
conducted  her  to  his  home,  where  she  was  wel- 
comed by  his  lovely  young  English  wife.  She 
seems  to  have  stayed  with  the  Reeds,  and 
was  called  upon  by  a number  of  ladies,  among 
them  Mrs.  Thomas  Hopkinson,  her  daughter, 
Mrs.  Duchd,  and  Mrs.  John  Hancock,  who  was 
equally  fascinating  and  more  beautiful  than 
that  earlier  “ Dorothy  Q ” who  set  the  muse 
of  Holmes  to  rhyming. 

1 This  was  the  First  Troop,  Philadelphia  City  Cavalry, 
organized  in  1774,  then  as  now  a military  company  of  gentle- 
men who  furnished  their  own  horses  and  equipment,  and  held 
themselves  in  readiness  to  serve  their  country  in  time  of  need. 
The  First  Troop  escorted  the  General  and  Mrs.  Washington 
whenever  they  passed  through  Philadelphia,  and  during  the 
first  presidency  constituted  itself  their  guard  of  honor.  The 
Troop  reported  at  Cambridge,  and  upon  the  hard-won  fields 
of  Trenton  and  Princeton  rendered  gallant  and  efficient  ser- 
vice, for  which  it  was  publicly  thanked  by  the  Commander- 
in-Chief. 


92 


A JOURNEY  TO  CAMBRIDGE 


Philadelphians,  ever  hospitable  and  desirous 
of  showing  their  respect  for  the  wife  of  the 
Commander-in-Chief,  proposed  to  give  a ball 
in  her  honor  at  the  City  Tavern.  This  atten- 
tion, of  questionable  kindness  in  view  of  the 
fact  that  Mrs.  Washington  and  Mrs.  Custis 
had  driven  over  four  hundred  and  fifty  miles 
and  must  have  looked  forward  with  more 
relish  to  rest  than  to  festivities,  was  frowned 
upon  by  many  patriots,  who  quoted  a resolu- 
tion of  Congress  recommending  the  people  to 
abstain  from  “ vain  amusments.”  Joseph  Reed 
and  Colonel  Benjamin  Harrison,  of  Virginia, 
were  warmly  in  favor  of  the  entertainment. 
Christopher  Marshall,  writing  of  the  affair  in 
his  diary,  represents  himself  as  taking  an 
active  part  in  the  opposition.  He  says  that 
he  informed  Samuel  Adams  that  a ball  was 
to  be  given,  and  urged  him  to  advise  John 
Hancock  to  put  a stop  to  it.  Be  this  as  it 
may,  Adams  and  Hancock  took  decided  meas- 
ures against  what  would  seem  to  have  been 
an  unwise  proceeding  at  this  juncture,  and 
appointed  a committee  to  wait  upon  Mrs. 
Washington  and  request  her  not  to  attend  the 
ball,  at  the  same  time  assuring  her  of  their 
great  regard  and  affection,  requesting  her,  to 
quote  their  own  words,  “ to  accept  of  our 
grateful  acknowledgment  and  respect  due  to 

93 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


you  upon,  account  of  your  near  connection 
with  our  worthy  and  brave  general,  now  ex- 
posed on  the  field  of  battle,  in  defense  of  our 
rights  and  liberties.” 

Lady  Washington,  as  she  was  now  called  for 
the  first  time,  received  the  waiting  gentlemen 
with  great  politeness,  and  by  her  fine  tact  and 
good  sense  relieved  them  of  all  embarrassment. 
She  thanked  them  for  their  esteem  and  con- 
cern for  her  welfare,  and  assured  them  “ that 
the  desires  of  the  committee  were  agreeable 
to  her  own  sentiments.” 

General  Washington  wrote  to  Mr.  Reed 
thanking  him  warmly  for  the  attention  shown 
his  wife  in  Philadelphia,  and  asking  him  to 
advise  the  little  party  as  to  a proper  place 
to  cross  the  Hudson,  “by  all  means  avoiding 
New  York.”  This  warning  was  in  consequence 
of  the  unsettled  state  of  affairs  in  that  place, 
the  number  of  loyalists  there,  and  the  strong 
feeling  existing  between  them  and  the  pa- 
triots, especially  the  Sons  of  Liberty,  who  had 
distinguished  themselves  by  attacking  and 
destroying  the  establishment  of  Rivington, 
“King’s  printer.” 

From  the  “ Pennsylvania  Gazette,”  of  No- 
vember 29,  it  appears  that  Mrs.  Washington 
and  her  party,  which  had  been  joined  by  Mrs. 
Gates,  wife  of  General  Gates,  and  Mrs.  Warner 

94 


A JOURNEY  TO  CAMBRIDGE 


Lewis,  left  Philadelphia  on  the  twenty-seventh, 
under  the  escort  of  the  “ officers  of  the  First 
and  Second  Battalions,  the  Light  Infantry  of 
the  First  and  Third  Battalions,  and  the  troop 
of  horse,”  and  proceeded  to  Newark,  where 
they  arrived  on  the  evening  of  the  twenty- 
ninth.  The  above  military  escort  probably 
attended  the  ladies  no  farther  than  Trenton, 
as  we  learn  from  journals  of  the  day  that  they 
were  met  at  Elizabethtown  by  a company  of 
light  horse  and  most  of  the  principal  gentle- 
men of  the  borough,  who  accompanied  the 
ladies  to  Newark,  which  they  entered  amid  the 
ringing  of  bells  and  general  rejoicings.  These 
joyful  demonstrations  seem  to  have  followed  the 
travellers  wherever  they  went,  and  must  have 
helped  not  a little  to  cheer  and  beguile  the 
tedium  of  their  long  and  weary  journey,  while 
they  gave  the  Virginia  woman,  who  had  never 
been  farther  north  than  Alexandria,  a sudden 
realization  of  what  it  was  to  be  the  wife  of  a 
soldier  whose  fame  had  reached  far  beyond  the 
boundaries  of  his  native  Colony.  Mingled  with 
enthusiasm  for  the  Commander-in-Chief,  there 
must  have  been  some  genuine  admiration  for 
these  valiant  women  who  had  undertaken  a 
drive  of  many  hundreds  of  miles,  to  spend  the 
winter  with  their  husbands  in  a camp  upon 
the  outskirts  of  a city,  then  in  possession  of 
the  enemy.  95 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Mrs.  Washington  and  her  party  crossed  the 
North  River  at  Dobbs  Ferry,  and  by  slow 
stages  reached  Cambridge  on  the  eleventh  of 
December.  Their  arrival  was  the  signal  for 
great  rejoicings  in  camp. 

General  Washington  had  established  his 
headquarters  in  the  Craigie  house,1  and  here 
Mrs.  Washington  made  her  home  during  the 
winter.  This  fine  old  mansion,  with  its  wide 
hall  and  spacious  rooms,  offered  ample  accom- 
modation for  Washington  and  his  family.  To 
the  right  of  the  front  door  was  his  office,  with 
his  staff  room  opening  out  of  it,  while  beyond 
there  was  another  room  in  which  they  probably 
dined,  as  Mr.  Daniel  Greenleaf  told  Miss  Quincy 

1 The  Craigie  house  was  built  by  Colonel  John  Yassall  in 
1759,  and  confiscated  when  he  joined  his  Tory  associates  in 
Boston.  The  Provincial  Congress  furnished  the  house  for  the 
use  of  General  Washington,  who  occupied  it  while  in  Cam- 
bridge. It  was  afterwards  the  property  of  Nathaniel  Tracy 
of  Newburyport,  of  Thomas  Russell  of  Boston,  and  of  Dr. 
Andrew  Craigie,  Apothecary-General  to  the  Revolutionary 
Army,  whose  name  it  bore  until  it  passed  into  the  hands  of 
Mr.  Henry  W.  Longfellow,  by  whose  name  it  is  now  generally 
known.  The  room  to  the  right  of  the  front  door,  in  which 
Washington  wrote  his  despatches,  was  later  the  favorite 
study  and  reading  room  of  the  poet.  Before  this  house 
became  the  property  of  Mr.  Longfellow,  it  was  owned  by 
Jared  Sparks,  who  edited  much  of  his  Washington  corre- 
spondence here,  by  Edward  Everett,  and  by  Joseph  Worcester 
the  lexicographer.  — Memorial  History  of  Boston,  vol.  ii. 
p.  113. 


96 


A JOURNEY  TO  CAMBRIDGE 


that  he  and  his  son  dined  with  Genei’al  Wash- 
ington and  his  aids  in  a room  on  the  right  side 
of  the  front  door.  On  the  left  side  of  the  hall 
were  spacious  reception  rooms. 

Questions  of  social  etiquette,  jealousies  with 
regard  to  dinner  invitations  to  headquarters, 
and  the  like,  had  perplexed  Washington,  and 
in  one  of  his  letters  to  Mr.  Reed  he  refers  to 
“ unintentional  offences,  which  were  rather 
owing  to  inattention,  or  more  properly  [to]  too 
much  attention  to  other  matters.”  These  other 
matters  being  of  no  less  importance  than  the 
siege  of  Boston  and  the  organization  of  an 
army,  it  was  fortunate  for  the  Commander-in- 
Chief  that  his  wife  came  to  his  aid  at  this  time. 
Mrs.  Washington’s  kindly  hospitality,  tact  and 
good  breeding,  and  the  sweetness  and  charm 
of  Mrs.  Custis,  soon  made  the  Craigie  house 
the  centre  of  much  pleasant  sociability. 

Then,  as  was  the  case  whenever  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington was  at  headquarters,  the  house  of  the 
commanding  officer  became  a favorite  resort 
for  the  young  officers,  for  whom  she  always 
kept  a warm  place  in  her  motherly  heart.  Mr. 
Irving  says  that  not  long  after  her  arrival 
in  camp  “ Mrs.  Washington  claimed  to  keep 
Twelfth  Night  in  due  style,  as  the  anniversary 
of  her  wedding.  The  General  was  somewhat 
thoughtful  and  said  that  he  was  afraid  he 

7 97 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


must  refuse  it.”  Upon  further  consideration, 
probably  remembering  his  wife’s  prudent  avoid- 
ance of  the  ball  in  Philadelphia,  and  perhaps 
realizing  then,  as  he  seems  to  have  done  later, 
that  a little  amusement  often  served  to  raise 
the  spirits  of  both  officers  and  men,  Washing- 
ton’s scruples  were  overcome,  and  the  sixth  of 
January  was  duly  celebrated  with  cake,  can- 
dles, and  rejoicing. 

A few  days  later  John  Adams  recorded  his 
attendance  at  a novel  dinner  party  at  Colonel 
Mifflin’s,  in  company  with  General  Washing- 
ton and  his  wife  and  General  and  Mrs.  Gates, 
“ and  half  a dozen  sachems  and  warriors  of  the 
French  Caghnawaya  tribe  with  their  wives  and 
children.”  “ It  was,”  he  says,  “ a savage  feast, 
carnivorous  animals  devouring  their  prey ; yet 
they  were  wondrous  polite.  . . . The  General 
introduced  me  as  one  of  the  grand  council  fire 
at  Philadelphia,  upon  which  they  made  me 
many  bows  and  a cordial  reception.”  1 

Mrs.  Mifflin,  whom  John  Adams  calls  “ a 
pretty  Quaker  girl,”  was  at  Cambridge  with 
her  husband.  The  latter  was,  says  Graydon, 
“ a man  of  education,  ready  apprehension  and 
brilliancy,  easy  of  access  with  the  manners  of 
genteel  life,  though  occasionally  evolving  those 
of  the  Quaker.”  Quartered  in  the  same  house 

1 Diary  of  John  Adams. 

98 


A JOURNEY  TO  CAMBRIDGE 


with  the  Mifflins,  were  Dr.  and  Mrs.  John  Mor- 
gan.  Mrs.  Morgan,  in  her  letters  to  her  mother 
and  sisters,  gives  the  most  agreeable  pictures  of 
camp  life  at  Cambridge  that  have  come  down 
to  us.  In  the  midst  of  animated  descriptions 
of  visits  to  headquarters,  of  tea-drinkings,  and 
reviews  of  the  battalions,  she  pauses  to  tell 
her  “ dear  Mamma  ” of  the  kindness  of  the 
Virginia  ladies,  begging  her  to  be  particu- 
larly attentive  to  Mrs.  Washington  and  Mrs. 
Custis  upon  their  arrival  in  Philadelphia,  as 
they  had  been  to  her  “ as  a mother  and  a 
sister.” 

Here  also  was  General  Knox,  with  his  wife, 
a charming  young  woman,  the  life  of  every 
circle  that  she  entered.  Although  much 
younger  than  Mrs.  Washington,  a warm  friend- 
ship grew  up  between  these  ladies,  which  con- 
tinued through  the  varied  scenes  of  their  army 
experience.  Another  attachment  which  Mrs. 
Washington  formed  during  her  sojourn  in  New 
England  was  a lasting  friendship  for  Mrs.  War- 
ren, the  wife  of  Dr.  James  Warren,  president  of 
the  Provincial  Council  of  Massachusetts.  Mrs. 
Warren  was  a woman  of  even  greater  intel- 
lectual gifts  than  Mrs.  Adams,  if  less  witty 
and  vivacious.  From  her  pen  we  have  the 
following  graphic  picture  of  Mrs.  Washington 
and  her  family  : — 


99 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


“If  you  wish  to  hear  more  of  this  lady’s  char- 
acter,” wrote  Mrs.  Warren  to  Mrs.  John  Adams, 
“I  will  tell  you  I think  the  Complacency  of  her 
manners  speaks  at  once  the  benevolence  of  her 
heart,  and  her  affability,  Candor  and  gentleness, 
qualify  her  to  soften  the  hours  of  private  life,  or 
to  sweeten  the  cares  of  the  Hero,  and  smooth 
the  rugged  paths  of  War.  . . . Mr.  Custis  is  the 
only  Son  of  the  lady  above  described,  — a sensi- 
ble, modest,  agreeable  young  Man.  His  lady,  a 
daughter  of  Colonel  Calvert,  of  Maryland,  appears 
to  be  of  an  engaging  disposition,  but  of  so  ex- 
tremely delicate  a constitution,  that  it  deprives 
her,  as  well  as  her  friends,  of  part  of  the  pleasure, 
which  I am  sure  would  result  from  her  conversa- 
tion, did  she  enjoy  a more  perfect  share  of  health. 
She  is  pretty,  genteel,  easy  and  agreeable.” 

Glimpses  of  the  real  woman  that  come  to  us 
through  such  letters  as  those  of  Mrs.  Morgan 
and  Mrs.  Warren  are  worth  pages  of  pane- 
gyric, revealing  as  they  do  the  sincere  admira- 
tion and  respect  with  which  Mrs.  Washington 
inspired  those  who  came  within  the  circle  of 
her  influence. 

From  Mrs.  Warren’s  description,  it  would 
appear  that  Mrs.  Adams  had  not  met  Mrs. 
Washington  at  all,  or  knew  her  but  slightly, — 
a supposition  which  is  strengthened  by  the  fact 
that  although  in  her  letters  to  her  husband  she 
dwells  upon  the  attractions  of  Mrs.  Mifflin, 
100 


A JOURNEY  TO  CAMBRIDGE 


Mrs.  Morgan,  and  other  ladies  whom  she 
met  in  Cambridge,  she  has  nothing  to  say 
about  Mrs.  Washington.  It  may  be  that  Mrs. 
Adams  made  few  visits  to  Cambridge,  in 
consequence  of  the  absence  of  her  “ dearest 
friend,”  as  she  tells  him  in  one  of  her  letters 
that  she  has  lived  “ like  a nun  in  a clois- 
ter” ever  since  he  went  away.  Upon  one  of 
her  visits  to  camp,  before  Mrs.  Washington’s 
arrival,  Mrs.  Adams  saw  the  General,  and 
wrote  of  him  with  enthusiastic  admiration, 
which  causes  us  to  regret  the  more  that  this 
keen  and  appreciative  writer  has  not  some- 
where recorded  her  first  impressions  of  one 
who  was  destined,  like  herself,  to  occupy 
so  prominent  a position  in  the  early  his- 
tory of  the  nation.  Differing  as  they  did  in 
many  respects,  these  two  women  had  certain 
meeting-grounds  of  interest,  and  some  char- 
acteristics in  common.  Both  were  ardently 
patriotic,  and  endowed  with  high  courage  and 
great  powers  of  endurance,  both  were  domes- 
tic ; but  Mrs.  Adams  enjoyed  public  life,  de- 
rived pleasure  from  new  scenes  and  faces,  and 
was  keenly  appreciative,  observing,  and  intellec- 
tual. Mrs.  Washington,  hospitable  and  kindly 
by  nature,  and  able  to  bring  into  the  varied  ex- 
periences of  her  life  an  habitual  philosophy 
and  cheerfulness,  probably  spoke  no  truer 
101 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


words  of  herself  than  when  she  said  that  her 
days  spent  away  from  home,  amid  the  ex- 
citement and  ceremony  of  official  life,  were 
“lost  days”  to  her.  Both  of  these  women 
were  essentially  refined  and  well  bred.  Mrs. 
Adams  was  able  to  adapt  herself  to  any  circle 
which  she  entered,  at  home  or  abroad,  while 
Mrs.  Warren,  in  speaking  of  her  first  meeting 
with  Mrs.  Washington,  says,  “ I was  received 
with  that  politeness  and  respect  shown  in  a 
first  interview  among  the  well  bred  and  with 
the  ease  and  cordiality  of  friendship  of  a much 
earlier  date.”  Dr.  Thacher,  in  describing  a 
dinner  with  the  Washingtons,  says,  “ Mrs. 
Washington  combines  in  an  uncommon  degree 
great  dignity  of  manner  with  the  most  pleasing 
affability.” 

If,  in  the  few  of  Mrs.  Washington’s  letters 
that  remain,  we  miss  the  brilliancy  and  viva- 
city that  distinguish  those  of  Mrs.  Adams,  we 
find  an  equally  keen  and  intelligent  interest 
in  the  events  of  the  time.  In  writing  from 
Cambridge,  January  31,  1776,  she  says:1  — 

My  dear  Sister,  — I have  wrote  to  you  several 
times  in  hopes  that  would  put  you  in  mind  of  me, 

1 The  original  of  this  letter  is  in  possession  of  the  Wash- 
ington Association  of  New  Jersey,  in  the  old  headquarters  at 
Morristown.  The  value  of  the  paper  is  enhanced  by  the 
fact  that  the  address  to  Mrs.  Bassett  of  Eltham  is  in  General 
Washington’s  familiar  handwriting. 

102 


A JOURNEY  TO  CAMBRIDGE 


but  I find  it  has  not  bad  its  intended  affect  and  I 
am  really  very  uneasy  at  not  hearing  from  you  and 
have  made  all  the  excuses  for  you  that  I can  think 
of,  hut  it  will  not  doe  much  longer,  if  I doe  not 
get  a letter  by  this  night’s  post,  I shall  think  my- 
self quite  forgot  by  all  my  Friends.  The  dis- 
tance is  long  yet  the  post  comes  regularly  every 
week. 

The  General,  myself,  and  Jack  are  very  well 
Nelly  Custis  is  I hope  getting  well  again.  . . . 
hope  noe  accident  will  happen  to  her  in  going  back, 
— I have  not  thought  much  about  it  yet  god 
knows  where  we  shall  be  I suppose  there  will  be 
a change  soon,  but  how,  I cannot  pretend  to  say. 
A few  days  a goe  Gen.  Clinton,  with  several  com- 
panyes  sailed  out  of  Boston  Harbor,  to  what  place 
distant  for,  we  cannot  find  out.  Some  think  it  is 
to  Virginia  he  is  gon  others  to  New  York  — they 
have  been  kept  in  Boston  so  long  that  I suppose 
they  will  be  glad  to  seek  for  a place  where  they 
may  have  more  room,  as  they  cannot  get  out  any 
way  hear  but  by  water  — our  navey  has  been  very 
successful  in  taking  thair  vessels  two  was  taken 
last  week  loded  with  coles  and  potatoes,  wines  & 
several  other  articles  for  the  use  of  the  troops  — 
If  Gen.  Clinton  is  gon  to  New  York,  — Gen  Lee 
is  there  before  him,  and  I hope  will  give  him  a 
very  warm  reception  — was  sent  thare  some  time 
a goe  to  have  matters  put  in  proper  order  in  case 
any  disturbance  should  happen,  as  thare  are  many 
Tories  in  that  part  of  the  world,  or  at  least  many 
103 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


are  susspected  there  to  be  very  unfreindly  to  our 
cause  at  this  time  — 

winter  here  been  remarkably  mild.  The  Rivers 
has  never  been  frozen  hard  enough  to  walk  upon 
the  Ice  since  I came  heer,  My  dear  sister,  be  so 
good  as  to  remember  me  to  all  enquireing  friends  — 
give  my  Duty  to  my  mama,  and  love  to  my  brothers 
and  sisters  Mr.  Bassett,  your  Dear  Children  and 
self  — in  which  the  General,  Jack  and  Nelly, 
join  me. 

I am,  my  dear  Nancy 
Your  ever  effectionate  sister, 

Maktha  Washington. 

About  six  weeks  later,  while  the  British  were 
making  merry  in  Boston,  Washington  in  a 
single  night  fortified  Dorchester  Heights,  which 
commanded  the  harbor,  and  by  sending  a heavy 
force  of  troops  across  the  Charles  River  to  at- 
tack the  city,  so  checkmated  Howe  that  there 
was  nothing  left  for  him  to  do  but  to  evacuate 
the  town.  On  the  twentieth  of  March,  having 
driven  the  enemy  to  their  boats,  General  Wash- 
ington and  his  army  entered  Boston.  After 
garrisoning  the  town  and  leaving  General  Put- 
nam in  command,  Washington  set  out  for  New 
York. 

Mrs.  Washington  remained  in  Cambridge 
for  several  weeks.  The  day  before  her  depart- 
ure Mrs.  Warren  dined  with  her,  after  which 

104 


A JOURNEY  TO  CAMBRIDGE 


the  two  friends  parted,  not  to  meet  again  until 
the  New  England  poetess  visited  the  presi- 
dential mansion  in  New  York  in  1790.  Mrs. 
Washington  and  her  son  and  daughter  left 
Cambridge  on  the  twentieth  of  April,  and  drove 
to  New  York  by  way  of  Hartford  and  New 
Haven.  In  New  York  she  took  up  her  abode 
at  the  General’s  headquarters  on  Pearl  Street, 
opposite  Cedar,  while  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Custis 
returned  to  Virginia.  The  young  husband, 
who  had  just  attained  his  majority,  came  into 
possession  of  his  estate,  and  settled  down  with 
his  wife  at  Abingdon,  where,  in  August,  their 
first  child,  Elizabeth  Parke,  was  born. 

In  May,  we  find  Mrs.  Washington  in  Phila- 
delphia, undergoing  inoculation  at  the  hands  of 
Dr.  John  Morgan.  John  Hancock,  President 
of  the  Continental  Congress  then  in  session 
at  Philadelphia,  had  written  to  General  Wash- 
ington before  he  left  New  York,  giving  him 
and  his  wife  a most  cordial  invitation  to  stay 
at  his  home  during  their  visit  to  Philadel- 
phia, adding  that  his  residence  at  the  corner 
of  Fourth  and  Arch  Streets  was  large  and 
roomy,  and  that  Mrs.  Hancock  would  con- 
sider it  an  honor  to  have  Mrs.  Washington 
take  the  small-pox  in  her  house.  It  is  prob- 
able that  the  Virginia  lady  felt  that  she  could 
indulge  in  this  luxury  with  greater  freedom  in 

105 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


a boarding-house  or  inn,  as  it  appears  from 
Washington’s  correspondence  that  John  Han- 
cock’s invitation  was  not  accepted,  and  that 
the  hospitality  of  Mistress  Dorothy  was  not  put 
to  the  severe  test  mentioned  in  her  husband’s 
letter. 

Mrs.  Washington  had  “the  smallpox  so 
favorably,”  to  use  the  phrasing  of  a letter  of 
the  General’s  to  his  brother,  John  Augustine, 
that  early  in  June  he  was  able  to  leave  her  out 
of  danger  and  ready  to  start  for  Mount  Vernon. 
The  journey  home  was,  however,  delayed  for 
over  two  months  in  consequence  of  the  alarm 
occasioned  by  Lord  Dunmore’s  final  and  unsuc- 
cessful invasion  of  the  Virginia  coast. 

It  was  during  Mrs.  Washington’s  stay  in 
Philadelphia  that  the  infamous  Hickey,  or 
Tryon,  plot  against  the  General’s  life  was 
exposed.  Mingled  with  her  thankfulness  over 
this  deliverance  there  must  have  been  many 
anxious  forebodings  in  the  wife’s  mind,  who 
realized  now,  as  never  before,  to  what  daily 
and  hourly  perils  her  husband’s  acknowledged 
ability  and  high  position  exposed  him. 

Mrs.  Washington  was  in  Philadelphia  as  late 
as  the  twentieth  of  August,  as  she  wrote  to 
her  sister  on  that  date  : — 

“ I am  still  in  this  town  and  noe  prospect  at 
present  of  leaving  it.  The  General  is  at  New 
106 


A JOURNEY  TO  CAMBRIDGE 


York,  he  is  well,  and  wrote  to  me  yesterday,  and 
informed  me  that  Lord  Dunmore,  with  part  of  his 
fleet  was  come  to  General  Howe,  at  Staten  Island; 
that  another  division  of  Hessians  is  expected  be- 
fore they  think  the  regulars  will  begin  their  attack 
on  us.  Some  hear  begin  to  think  there  will  be  no 
battle  after  all.  Last  week  our  boats  made  an- 
other attempt  on  the  ships  up  the  North  river,  and 
had  grappled  a fire-ship  with  the  Phoenix  ten 
minutes,  but  she  got  cleare  of  her  and  is  come  down 
the  river.  On  Saturday  last  our  people  burnt  one 
of  the  tenders.  I thank  God  we  shant  want  men. 
The  Army  at  New  York  is  very  large,  and  numbers 
of  men  are  still  going.  There  is  at  this  time  in 
the  city  four  thousand,  on  their  march  to  the  camp, 
and  the  Virginians  daily  expected. 

“I  doe,  my  dear  sister,  most  religiously  wish 
there  was  an  end  to  the  war,  that  we  might  have 
the  pleasure  of  meeting  again.” 

Soon  after  writing  this  letter  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton returned  to  Mount  Vernon,  where  she 
spent  the  anxious  months  that  followed,  in 
which  occurred  the  battles  of  Long  Island,  of 
Harlem  Heights  and  of  White  Plains,  the 
capture  of  Fort  Washington  by  the  Brit- 
ish, and  the  flight  of  the  Continental  troops 
across  New  Jersey, — disasters  which  were 
soon  followed  by  the  victories  of  Trenton  and 
Princeton. 

Although  the  residence  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 

107 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Custis  was  at  Abingdon,  near  Mount  Vernon, 
they  always,  at  General  Washington’s  express 
desire,  joined  their  mother  and  made  their 
home  with  her  when  she  was  not  in  camp  with 
her  husband. 


108 


VII 


CAMP  LIFE 

One  of  the  most  interesting  chapters  in  a 
married  life  that  to  some  persons  may  seem 
to  be  devoid  of  romantic  incidents,  is  to  be 
found  in  the  years  between  1776  and  1783, 
when  Mrs.  Washington,  at  her  own  home, 
watched  and  waited  for  tidings  from  the  seat 
of  war,  or  entered  with  her  husband  into  the 
hardships  and  excitements  of  camp  life.  The 
General  always  had  his  wife  with  him  at  his 
winter  quarters,  when  he  could  make  her 
comfortable,  and  she  afterwards  took  pride  in 
telling  her  grandchildren  that  it  had  been  her 
fortune  to  hear  the  first  cannon  at  the  opening 
and  the  last  at  the  closing  of  most  of  the 
campaigns  of  the  long  war. 

Mr.  Lossing  says  that  at  Morristown,  in  the 
beginning  of  the  winter  of  ’77,  “the  accom- 
modations were  so  limited  and  the  movements 
of  his  troops  were  so  uncertain,  that  he  [the 
General]  thought  it  not  prudent  for  Mrs. 
W ashington  to  come  to  camp.  ” As  there  was 

109 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


constant  danger  from  marauding  parties  of 
the  enemy,  and  as  the  army  was  much  reduced 
by  the  expiration  of  enlistments  and  the 
large  proportion  of  the  men  under  inocula- 
tion, Washington  may  have  discouraged  his 
wife  from  joining  him  in  the  early  part  of  the 
winter.  Later  on  he  was  anxious,  worried, 
and  finally  so  ill  that  grave  fears  were  enter- 
tained for  his  recovery.  Bad  news  travelled 
fast,  even  in  those  days  of  slow  posts,  and 
Mrs.  Washington  was  not  a woman  whom  any 
thought  of  danger  could  keep  away  from  her 
husband  when  he  needed  her.  Upon  another 
occasion,  when  she  was  in  Philadelphia,  and 
the  General  was  ill  in  Virginia,  she  wrote 
that  if  she  did  not  soon  hear  of  his  recovery 
she  would  set  forth  to  join  him,  and  if  no 
conveyance  was  provided  for  the  journey  she 
would  go  on  foot  rather  than  endure  the 
anxiety  that  she  felt  when  separated  from 
him. 

Washington  had  his  Morristown  headquar- 
ters in  the  winter  and  spring  of  ’77  in  the  Ar- 
nold Tavern,  on  the  west  side  of  the  “ Green,”  a 
house  kept  by  Colonel  Jacob  Arnold,  an  officer 
of  the  Light  Horse  Guards.  Many  discourage- 
ments marked  the  early  months  of  this  winter. 
Soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  Commander-in- 
Chief,  he  lost  a brave  and  valued  officer,  Colonel 
no 


CAMP  LIFE 


Jacob  Ford,  who  died  of  lung  fever,  and  on  the 
day  of  his  burial  an  alarm  of  small-pox  made 
it  necessary  to  convert  the  two  churches  of  the 
town  — the  Presbyterian  and  Baptist  — into 
hospitals  for  the  men  who  were  inoculated  for 
small-pox.  It  was  during  this  time  that 
Washington  joined  Pastor  Johnes  and  his 
people  at  their  semi-annual  communion,  after 
receiving  the  good  pastor’s  assurance,  “Ours 
is  not  the  Presbyterian  table,  but  the  Lord’s 
table,  and  we  give  the  Lord’s  invitation  to 
all  his  followers,  of  whatever  name.”  This 
solemn  service  was  held  in  the  rear  of  the 
parsonage  on  Morris  Street.  The  congrega- 
tion, wrapped  in  their  heaviest  clothing, 
with  no  roof  above  them  but  the  winter  sky, 
gathered  about  their  pastor,  having  cheerfully 
relinquished  their  church  to  the  suffering 
soldiers. 

Mrs.  Washington  reached  Morristown  on  the 
fifteenth  of  March,  as  recorded  in  the  “Con- 
tinental Journal”:  “His  Excellency  has  been 
ill  for  some  days,  but  is  now  perfectly  recov- 
ered, and  has  the  satisfaction  of  his  amiable 
lady’s  company,  who  arrived  here  this  day 
in  good  health.”  A few  days  later,  Timothy 
Pickering  recorded  in  his  diary  that  he  drank 
tea  at  headquarters  with  the  General  and  his 
lady. 


in 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Mrs.  Ellet  says  that  upon  this,  her  first 
visit  to  New  Jersey,  Mrs.  Washington  was 
met  by  her  husband  some  distance  from  camp, 
probably  at  Pluckamin.  The  lady  at  whose 
home  the  General  awaited  the  arrival  of  his 
wife  was  much  astonished,  when  the  carriage 
stopped,  at  seeing  so  plainly  dressed  a woman 
descend  from  it.  She,  with  some  idea  in  her 
mind  that  “fine  feathers  make  fine  birds,” 
concluded  that  this  person  was  an  attendant 
of  the  great  lady,  until  she  saw  Washington 
hasten  to  meet  her,  and  noticed  the  tenderness 
of  his  greeting.  After  satisfying  himself  as 
to  his  wife’s  health  and  her  comfort  during 
the  journey,  his  next  inquiries  were  about  his 
favorite  horses  at  Mount  Vernon. 

Mrs.  Theodorick  Bland  of  Virginia  was  in 
Morristown,  which  she  calls  “a  clever  little 
village,  whose  three  spires  would  make  it 
seem  pretentious,”  when  Mrs.  Washington 
arrived  in  camp.  In  one  of  her  home  letters 
she  says:  “His  [the  General’s]  worthy  lady 
seems  in  perfect  felicity  by  the  side  of  her 
‘old  man,’  as  she  calls  him.”  Mrs.  Bland 
speaks  of  visits  to  headquarters  two  or  three 
times  a week,  “according  to  the  ceremonial,” 
adding  that  she  would  go  more  frequently 
from  choice.  A delightful  social  circle  was 
gathered  in  and  around  Morristown  this  win- 
112 


CAMP  LIFE 


ter,  and  under  its  influence,  despite  the  discour- 
agements and  hardships  of  the  campaign,  the 
face  of  war  sometimes  took  upon  itself  a cheer- 
ful aspect.  Many  New  York  and  New  Jersey 
families  had  in  these  troubled  times  taken 
refuge  among  the  Somerset  Hills  ; others,  like 
the  Southards,  Fords,  Johneses,  Lotts,  and 
Thebauds,  belonged  to  this  region.  Mr.  John 
Morton,  to  whom  the  British  had  given  the 
sobriquet  of  the  “rebel  banker,”  in  conse- 
quence of  the  large  sums  of  money  loaned  by 
him  to  Congress,  had  recently  bought  a farm 
near  Basking  Ridge.  To  this  pleasant  home 
Mrs.  Morton  and  her  charming  daughters  wel- 
comed the  young  people  of  the  neighborhood, 
and  here  the  General  and  his  wife  were  fre- 
quent guests.  Elias  Boudinot  had  also  estab- 
lished his  family  at  Basking  Ridge,  while 
his  sister,  Mrs.  Hatfield,  lived  not  far  from 
him.  At  the  Boudinots’  home,  which  was 
only  eight  miles  from  Morristown,  Mrs. 
Washington  often  visited.  Susan  Boudinot, 
the  “ewe  lamb”  whom  Mr.  Boudinot  after- 
wards bestowed  upon  Mr.  William  Brad- 
ford, of  Philadelphia,  delighted  in  her  old 
age  to  recall  “Lady  Washington”  as  she 
had  appealed  to  her  girlish  eyes,  especially 
upon  one  occasion  that  stood  out  distinctly 
in  her  memory.  Some  practice  firing  among 

8 113 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


the  soldiers  frightened  her,  and  she  was  fly- 
ing down  the  stairs,  calling  out,  “ The  Brit- 
ish are  coming ! ” only  to  be  caught  in  the 
motherly  arms  of  Mrs.  Washington,  who  had 
just  then  entered  the  front  door,  and  to  be 
assured  by  her  that  those  who  fired  were 
friends,  not  foes.  A stanch  little  patriot 
was  Susan  Boudinot.  Once,  when  a cup  of 
tea  was  handed  to  her  at  Governor  Franklin’s, 
she  accepted  it  with  proper  civility,  touched 
the  cup  to  her  lips,  but  not  deigning  to 
drink  the  contraband  beverage,  crossed  the 
room,  and  dashed  the  contents  out  of  the 
window. 

General  Greene  had  his  quarters  in  Lord 
Stirling’s  fine  old  house,  which  was  within 
visiting  distance  of  Morristown,  and  here,  in 
addition  to  the  two  agreeable  hostesses,  Lady 
Stirling  and  her  daughter,  Lady  Kitty,  were 
the  Misses  Livingston.  These  young  ladies, 
daughters  of  good  Governor  Livingston,  who 
had  succeeded  William  Franklin,  the  Tory 
Governor  of  New  Jersey,  had  placed  his 
daughters  with  their  aunt,  Lady  Stirling,  for 
the  winter.  General  Greene,  in  writing  to 
his  wife  of  the  attractions  of  the  Stirling 
household,  says  of  the  Livingston  sisters: 
“ They  are  three  young  ladies  of  distinguished 
merit,  sensible,  polite  and  easy.  Their  man- 
114 


CAMP  LIFE 


ners  are  soft  and  engaging;  they  wish  to  see 
you  here,  and  I wish  it  too.  ” 

Sarah,  the  beauty  of  this  charming  family, 
was  already  the  wife  of  John  Jay.  Susan, 
who  was  considered  a wit  in  Revolutionary 
circles,  added  not  a little  to  the  gayety  and 
pleasure  of  her  aunt’s  household  at  Basking 
Ridge,  and  upon  one  occasion,  by  her  clever- 
ness, preserved  some  valuable  papers  of  her 
father’s  from  a marauding  party  which  invaded 
his  Trenton  home,  Liberty  Hall.  Catharine 
Livingston,  the  “dear  Kitty”  of  Mrs.  Jay’s 
letters,  was  the  youngest  of  this  trio  of  sis- 
ters, who  are  spoken  of  by  Mrs.  Bland  as  hav- 
ing joined  the  General  and  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton in  “horseback  parties.”  These  parties, 
which  were  among  the  pleasures  of  the  win- 
ter, included  lively  Mrs.  Bland  herself,  Colo- 
nel Hamilton,  the  General’s  private  secretary, 
and  Colonels  Meade,  Tilden,  Harrison,  and 
Gibbs,  the  latter  being  then  in  command  of 
the  Life  Guard. 

Where  so  many  young  people  were  thrown 
together  there  was  naturally  much  gayety  and 
enjoyment,  which  were  encouraged  by  the 
General  and  Mrs.  Washington,  although  any- 
thing like  extravagance  in  dress  or  living  was 
frowned  upon  by  them,  as  unbecoming  patriots 
engaged  in  a long  war  that  would  try  to  the 

115 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


utmost  the  resources  of  the  country.  Dr. 
Joseph  Tuttle1  gives  an  amusing  account  of 
the  experiences  of  some  Morristown  ladies 
who  called  upon  Mrs.  Washington,  and  with 
a natural  desire  to  appear  at  their  best  and 
to  do  honor  to  the  great  lady,  donned  their 
bravest  attire.  Mrs.  Troupe,  one  of  the  party, 
thus  related  her  experiences  to  Mrs.  Tuttle : — 

“Well,  what  do  you  think,  Mrs.  Tuttle,  I have 
been  to  see  Lady  Washington!  ” 

“Have  you  indeed?  Then  tell  me  all  about  her 
ladyship,  how  she  appeared  and  what  she  said.” 

“Well,  I will  honestly  tell  you,”  answered  Mrs. 
Troupe,  “I  never  was  so  ashamed  in  all  my  life. 

You  see,  Madame  , and  Madame 

, and  Madame  Budd,  and  myself  thought  we 

would  visit  Lady  Washington,  and  as  she  was  said 
to  be  so  grand  a lady,  we  thought  we  must  put  on 
our  best  bibbs  and  bands.  So  we  dressed  ourselves 
in  our  most  elegant  ruffles  and  silks,  and  were  in- 
troduced to  her  ladyship.  And  don’t  you  think 
we  found  her  knitting  and  with  a specked  (check) 
apron  on ! She  received  us  very  graciously,  and 
easily,  but  after  the  compliments  were  over,  she 
resumed  her  knitting.  There  we  were  without  a 
stitch  of  work,  and  sitting  in  State,  but  General 
Washington’s  lady  with  her  own  hands  was  knit- 
ting stockings  for  herself  and  husband! 

1 Revolutionary  Fragments,  by  Rev.  Joseph  F.  Tuttle,  D.  D. 

116 


CAMP  LIFE 


“And  that  was  not  all.  In  the  afternoon  her 
ladyship  took  occasion  to  say,  in  a way  that  we 
could  not  he  offended  at,  that  at  this  time  it  was 
very  important  that  American  ladies  should  be 
patterns  of  industry  to  their  countrywomen,  be- 
cause the  separation  from  the  mother  country  will 
dry  up  the  sources  whence  many  of  our  comforts 
have  been  derived.  We  must  become  independent 
by  our  determination  to  do  without  what  we  cannot 
make  ourselves.  Whilst  our  husbands  and  brothers 
are  examples  of  patriotism,  we  must  be  patterns  of 
industry!  ” 

Another  Morristown  woman,  in  giving  an 
account  of  the  same  visit,  says : — 

“Yesterday,  with  several  others,  I visited  Lady 
Washington  at  head-quarters.  We  expected  to 
find  the  wealthy  wife  of  the  great  general  ele- 
gantly dressed,  for  the  time  of  our  visit  had  been 
fixed;  but,  instead,  she  was  neatly  attired  in  a 
plain  brown  habit.  Her  gracious  and  cheerful 
manners  delighted  us  all,  but  we  felt  rebuked  by 
the  plainness  of  her  apparel  and  her  example  of 
persistent  industry,  while  we  were  extravagantly 
dressed  idlers,  a name  not  very  creditable  in  these 
perilous  times.  She  seems  very  wise  in  expe- 
rience, kind-hearted  and  winning  in  all  her  ways. 
She  talked  much  of  the  sufferings  of  the  poor  sol- 
diers, especially  of  the  sick  ones.  Her  heart 
seemed  to  be  full  of  compassion  for  them.” 

117 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Whether  or  not  this  discourse  and  good 
example  led  to  the  formation  of  sewing 
societies  for  the  relief  of  the  soldiers  is  not 
recorded.  Such  organizations  certainly  existed 
in  and  around  Morristown,  as  Mrs.  Colies1 
speaks  of  several  sewing  and  knitting  societies 
presided  over  by  Mrs.  Ralph  Smith,  Mrs. 
Counsellor  Condict,  Mrs.  Parson  Johnes,  and 
Mrs.  Anna  Kitchell  of  Whippany,  while  of 
this  latter  good  woman  it  is  related  that  she 
always  kept  her  meal-bag  open  and  her  pot  au 
feu  boiling  to  satisfy  the  appetites  of  hungry 
soldiers.  From  the  recollections  of  Dr.  Tuttle 
and  others,  which  recall  the  patriotic  devotion 
of  Jersey  women  during  the  Revolution,  it 
would  appear  that  Mrs.  Washington’s  remarks 
and  example  were  not  intended  to  point  a 
moral  and  adorn  a tale;  but  rather  that  she 
was  carrying  out  the  habits  of  thrift  and 
industry  that  were,  with  her,  cardinal  virtues, 
not  to  be  set  aside  even  when  she  was  enter- 
taining company.  Mrs.  Cox,  the  wife  of  Colo- 
nel John  Cox  of  Bloomsbur}r,  often  drew  for 
her  children  and  grandchildren  pleasant  pic- 
tures of  the  visits  of  this  sociable  Virginia 
lady,  who,  as  soon  as  breakfast  was  over, 
would  bring  out  her  fathomless  mending  bas- 
ket, from  which  she  was  content  to  mend  and 

1 Historic  Morristown,  by  Julia  Keese  Colles. 

118 


CAMP  LIFE 


darn  “ from  morn  to  noon,  from  noon  to  dewy 
eve.”  Colonel  Cox,  who  was  assistant  quar- 
termaster to  General  Greene,  and  at  his  forge 
at  Batisto  made  many  of  the  cannon  used  in 
the  war,  was  a warm  personal  friend  of  Wash- 
ington’s, while  between  the  ladies  of  the  family 
there  existed  a cordial  acquaintance. 

Mrs.  Washington  spent  the  summer  of  ’77 
at  Mount  Vernon,  where,  in  the  absence  of  her 
husband,  she  was  cheered  by  the  companion- 
ship of  her  children  and  her  little  granddaugh- 
ter, Elizabeth.  In  December  of  this  year  a 
second  grandchild  was  born,  to  whom  was 
given  the  name  of  the  much  loved  grand- 
mother. 

A fanciful  story  is  told  of  Mrs.  Washington 
having  joined  her  husband  the  following 
autumn  at  his  headquarters  in  the  Emlen 
house,  near  Whitemarsh,  Pennsylvania,  whence 
she  rode  to  Valley  Forge  upon  a pillion  behind 
him.  This  is  a picturesque  enough  legend, 
whose  interest  has  been  enhanced  by  a sketch 
of  the  worthy  pair  floundering  through  the 
snowdrifts  upon  an  unhappy  nag;  but  it  is 
entirely  without  foundation,  as  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton was  undoubtedly  in  Virginia  when  the 
army  went  into  winter  quarters  at  Valley 
Forge.  In  a letter  written  to  John  Custis,  on 
the  first  of  February,  Washington  says : “Your 

119 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


mamma  is  not  yet  arrived,  but  if  she  left 
Mount  Vernon  on  the  26th  ultimo,  as  intended, 
may,  I think,  he  expected  every  hour.”  Mrs. 
Washington  did  not  reach  Valley  Forge  until 
the  tenth  of  February.  Soon  after  her  arrival 
she  wrote  to  Mrs.  Warren : — 

“The  general  is  in  camp,  in  what  is  called 
the  great  valley  on  the  Banks  of  the  Schuylkill. 
Officers  and  men  are  chiefly  in  Hutts,  which  they 
say  is  tolerable  comfortable;  the  army  are  as 
healthy  as  can  well  be  expected  in  general. 

The  General’s  apartment  is  very  small ; he  has 
had  a log  Cabin  built  to  dine  in,  which  has  made 
our  quarters  much  more  tolerable  than  they  were  at 
first.” 

This  description  does  not  convey  the  idea 
of  much  comfort  at  headquarters,  nor  does  the 
old  stone  house  of  Isaac  Potts  as  it  stands 
to-day.  The  log  cabin  has  long  since  disap- 
peared ; but  in  one  of  the  two  rooms  on  the 
ground  floor,  used  by  Washington,  is  still  to  be 
seen  in  the  sill  of  the  east  window  the  box, 
which  appears  as  a part  of  the  casement, 
which  Mrs.  Washington  speaks  of  as  the  recep- 
tacle of  her  husband’s  valuable  papers.  In 
her  letters,  however,  she  dwells  little  upon 
the  inconveniences  of  her  surroundings.  Like 
a true  soldier’s  wife,  her  thoughts  turn  to  the 
troops  and  their  comfort. 

120 


CAMP  LIFE 


Never  was  the  moral  force  of  Washington, 
his  absolute  oneness  with  his  army,  so  plainly 
demonstrated  as  during  this  wretched  winter, 
when,  as  if  to  accentuate  the  misery  of  the 
American  troops,  they  knew  that  Philadelphia 
had  taken  Howe  and  his  men,  to  use  witty  Dr. 
Franklin’s  bon  mot , and  that  they  were  liv- 
ing in  plenty  in  the  chief  city  of  the  nation. 
Congress,  which  like  a portion  of  the  army 
had  been  disintegrated  by  a self-seeking  and 
time-serving  spirit,  made  tardy  response  to 
the  passionate,  eloquent  appeals  of  the  Com- 
mander-in-Chief,  who  was  often  at  his  wits’ 
end,  with  an  army  loyal  to  the  core  but  unfit 
for  service  for  want  of  proper  food  and  cloth- 
ing. “ Exalted  virtue  and  patriotism,  and  the 
strong  attachment  of  the  officers  to  General 
Washington,  only,”  says  Elkanah  Watson, 
“held  the  army  together, ” to  which  we  may 
add  another  factor,  — the  devotion  of  the  com- 
mon soldiers,  who,  half-clothed  and  starving 
as  they  were,  elicited  the  admiration  of  the 
Commander-in-Chief  for  their  “incomparable 
patience  and  fidelity.” 

Lady  Stirling,  Mrs.  Clement  Biddle,  Mrs. 
Knox,  and  other  officers’  wives,  were  in  camp 
with  their  husbands  during  this  winter.  The 
presence  of  these  ladies  among  them,  their 
cheerful  endurance  of  hardships,  and  their 
121 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


efforts  to  alleviate  the  sufferings  of  the  sol- 
diers, served  to  encourage  both  officers  and 
men.  It  was  during  her  army  experience,  says 
Mr.  Irving,  that  Mrs.  Washington  acquired  an 
inveterate  habit  of  knitting,  not  as  the  amuse- 
ment of  an  idle  hour,  but  because  of  the  great 
necessity  for  stockings  among  the  soldiers. 
When  General  Washington  wrote  to  the  dila- 
tory Congress  that  his  men  were  destitute  of 
proper  clothing,  and  that  they  might  be  traced 
by  the  marks  left  upon  the  snow  by  their 
frosted  and  bleeding  feet,  we  may  believe  that 
Mrs.  Washington  and  her  companions  felt  that 
their  knitting-needles  could  not  fly  fast  enough, 
and  also  that  their  own  stores  of  goods  and 
provisions  were  taxed  to  the  utmost  limit. 
Mrs.  Westlake,  who  lived  near  the  Potts’ 
house  at  Valley  Forge,  and  who,  in  her  old 
age,  conversed  with  Mr.  Lossing,  said : 1 — 

“ I never  in  my  life  knew  a woman  so  busy 
from  early  morning  until  late  at  night  as  was  Lady 
Washington,  providing  comforts  for  the  sick  sol- 
diers. Every  day,  excepting  Sunday,  the  wives  of 
officers  in  camp,  and  sometimes  other  women,  were 
invited  to  Mr.  Pott’s  to  assist  her  in  knitting  socks, 
patching  garments,  and  making  shirts  for  the  poor 
soldiers,  when  materials  could  be  procured.  Every 

1 Life  of  Mary  and  Martha  Washington,  by  Benson  J. 
Lossing. 


122 


CAMP  LIFE 


fair  day  she  might  be  seen,  with  basket  in  hand, 
and  with  a single  attendant,  going  among  the 
huts  seeking  the  keenest  and  most  needy  sufferer, 
and  giving  all  the  comforts  to  them  in  her  power. 
I sometimes  went  with  her,  for  I was  a stout  girl, 
sixteen  years  old.  On  one  occasion  she  went  to 
the  hut  of  a dying  sergeant,  whose  young  wife  was 
with  him.  His  case  seemed  to  particularly  touch 
the  heart  of  the  good  lady,  and  after  she  had  given 
him  some  wholesome  food  she  had  prepared  with 
her  own  hands,  she  knelt  down  by  his  straw  pallet 
and  prayed  earnestly  for  him  and  his  wife  with  her 
sweet  and  solemn  voice.  I shall  never  forget  the 
scene.” 

Surely  these  days  in  camp,  although  spent 
away  from  her  home  that  she  loved,  could 
never  have  been  counted  by  Mrs.  Washington 
among  her  “lost  days,”  so  full  were  they  of 
the  care  and  thought  for  others  in  which  her 
kind  heart  rejoiced,  and  which  often  caused 
the  soldiers  to  say  when  her  motherly  face 
appeared  among  them,  “ God  bless  Lady  Wash- 
ington.” 

In  February  the  Baron  von  Steuben  arrived 
at  the  encampment  with  Mr.  Du  Ponceau,  his 
secretary.  The  young  Frenchman  speaks  with 
enthusiasm  of  Washington’s  appearance  and 
bearing  at  Valley  Forge,  as  indescribably 
impressive  and  in  expression  beyond  any  pic- 
123 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


ture  of  him  that  was  ever  executed.  Dignity, 
patriotic  devotion,  and  fatherly  care  of  his 
troops,  as  well  as  the  power  to  command  them, 
were  all  written  upon  this  nohle  face.  Mr. 
Du  Ponceau  says  that  he  and  the  Baron  dined 
frequently  with  the  General,  and  spent  the 
evening  at  headquarters  when  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton was  there.  Late  in  the  winter  this  couple 
was  cheered  by  the  visit  to  camp  of  a Mount 
Yernon  neighbor,  the  Rev.  Bryan  Fairfax, 
who,  although  disapproving  of  armed  resist- 
ance to  the  Crown,  allowed  no  difference  of 
opinion  to  interfere  with  his  warm  friendship 
for  the  Washingtons.  We  can  imagine  the 
joy  that  it  was  to  Washington  to  see  this 
friendly  face  once  more,  and  how  eagerly  Mrs. 
Washington,  hungry  for  home  news,  plied  him 
with  questions  about  John  and  Nelly  and  the 
babies. 

Toward  spring  supplies  began  to  arrive  with 
some  regularity,  and  provisions  intended  for 
British  tables  in  Philadelphia  were  frequently 
intercepted  and  diverted  into  the  camp  of  the 
hungry  patriots.  General  Lee,  who  had  been 
recently  exchanged  for  the  British  General 
Prescott,  taken  prisoner  at  Newport  the  year 
before,  was  received  at  Valley  Forge  with 
great  rejoicings.  General  Washington  rode 
several  miles  to  meet  this  officer,  who  a few 

124 


CAMP  LIFE 


months  later  proved  so  false  to  him,  dis- 
mounted, and  received  him  like  a brother. 

“He  passed  thro’  the  Lines  of  Officers  and 
the  Army,”  says  Mr.  Boudinot,  “who  all  paid 
him  the  highest  military  Honors  to  Headquar- 
ters, where  Mrs.  Washington  was,  and  here 
he  was  entertained  with  an  elegant  Dinner, 
and  the  music  playing  the  whole  Time.  A 
Room  was  assigned  him  back  of  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington’s sitting-room  and  all  his  baggage  was 
stowed  in  it.” 

A few  days  later  Washington  wrote  to 
Thomas  Wharton,  Governor  of  Pennsylvania: 
“Mrs.  Jones,  Mrs.  Pleasants  and  two  other 
ladies  connected  with  the  Quakers  confined  at 
Winchester  waited  upon  me  this  day  for  per- 
mission to  pass  to  York  Town  to  endeavor 
to  obtain  the  release  of  their  friends.  ” One 
of  “the  two  other  ladies”  was  Mrs.  Henry 
Drinker,  who  has  left  in  her  journal1  a pleas- 
ant description  of  this  visit  to  Valley  Forge  : — - 

“We  requested  an  audience  with  the  General, 
and  sat  with  his  wife  (a  sociable  pretty  kind  of 
woman),  until  he  came  in.  A number  of  officers 
were  there  who  were  very  complaisant,  Tench 
Tilghman  among  ye  rest.  It  was  not  long  before  G. 
Washington  came,  and  discoursed,  with  us  freely, 
but  not  as  long  as  we  could  have  wished,  as  dinner 

1 Journal  of  Elizabeth  Drinker,  p.  93. 

125 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


was  served,  to  which  he  invited  us.  There  were 
15  Officers,  besides  ye  G1  and  his  wife,  Gen. 
Greene,  and  Gen.  Lee.  We  had  an  elegant  din- 
ner, which  was  soon  over,  when  we  went  out  with 
ye  Genlf  wife  up  to  her  Chamber  — and  saw  no 
more  of  him.” 

Rumors  of  the  much-desired  alliance  with 
France  had  sent  rays  of  light  athwart  the 
gloom  of  this  dismal  winter;  but  the  official 
announcement  of  the  ratification  of  the  treaty 
did  not  reach  camp  until  May  breezes  had 
begun  to  blow  through  the  lovely  groves  in 
which  the  army  was  encamped.  A day  of 
general  rejoicing  and  thanksgiving  followed 
the  receipt  of  this  intelligence.  Appropriate 
religious  services  were  held  at  the  quarters  of 
General  Maxwell,  which  were  attended  by  the 
officers,  their  wives,  and  suites,  after  which 
there  was  a grand  review  of  the  army  by  the 
Commander-in-Chief.  It  is  said  that  when 
the  General  retired  from  the  morning  service 
with  his  wife,  mingled  with  cheers  and  huzzas 
for  the  King  of  France,  for  the  thirteen  States, 
and  for  General  Washington,  there  were  also 
shouts  of  “Long  live  Lady  Washington. ” If 
ever  women  had  earned  the  right  to  share  in 
the  triumphs  of  their  husbands  it  was  such 
wives  as  those  who  at  Valley  Forge  had  borne 
with  them  the  trials  of  this  wretched  winter. 


126 


CAMP  LIFE 


In  November,  1778,  Mrs.  Washington  wrote1 
from  Mount  Vernon  to  Mr.  Bartholomew 
Dandridge : — 

Dear  Brother,  — I received  your  kind  favor 
by  Mi  Posey  and  should  have  wrote  to  you  long 
before  this  but  have  every  day  expected  Jack 
would  be  ready  to  set  out. 

I Am  very  sorry  to  hear  that  my  mamma  has 
been  so  unwell  and  thank  god  that  she  has  recov- 
ered again.  I wish  I was  near  enough  to  come  to 
see  you  and  her. 

I am  very  uneasy  at  this  time  — I have  some 
reason  to  expect  that  I shall  take  another  trip  to 
the  northward  — the  pore  Geneeral  is  not  likely  to 
come  to  see  us  from  what  I can  see  hear  — I expect 
to  hear  seertainly  by  the  next  post  — if  I doe  I shall 
write  to  you  to  inform  you  and  my  Friends  — if  I 
am  so  happy  to  stay  at  home  — I shall  hope  to  see 
you  with  my  sisters  hear  as  soon  as  you  are  at 
leasure. 

Please  to  give  little  Patty  a kiss  for  me  I have 
sent  her  a pair  of  shoes  — there  was  not  a doll  to 
be  got  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia  or  I would  have 
sent  her  one  (the  shoes  are  in  a bundle  for  my 
mamma)  I am  very  glad  to  hear  that  you  and  your 
family  are  well  — I cannot  tell  you  more  news 
than  I can  I have  had  no  letter  since  he  came  from 
the  camp  — by  some  neglect  of  the  post  master  my 

1 From  the  original  now  in  the  collection  of  the  Mount 
Vernon  Association. 


127 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


letters  does  not  come  regularly  to  hand.  I am 
with  my  Duty  to  my  mamma  my  Love  to  my  sister 
Aylett  — my  sister  and  family  and  my  dear  Brother 
Your  Eaver  affectionate 

M Washington 

Although  the  General  had  been  as  near 
home  as  Fredericksburg,  Virginia,  during  the 
autumn,  he  does  not  seem  to  have  had  time 
for  one  day’s  rest  and  refreshment  at  Mount 
Vernon.  In  January  he  and  Mrs.  Washington 
were  again  in  Philadelphia,  visiting  at  the 
house  of  the  Hon.  Henry  Laurens,  and,  ac- 
cording to  the  letters  of  Mrs.  Richard  Bache, 
entering  into  social  pleasures  at  the  hospitable 
homes  of  the  Powels,  Gerards,  Morrises,  and 
others.  A few  weeks  later,  the  French  alliance 
was  celebrated  at  the  New  Jersey  encampment 
in  proper  style.  General  Knox  and  his  officers 
gave  a grand  entertainment  near  Pluckamin, 
which  was  attended  by  the  General  and  his 
lady,  the  principal  officers  of  the  army  with 
their  wives,  and  a number  of  residents  of 
the  State.  Upon  this  occasion  his  Excellency 
opened  the  ball  with  Mrs.  Knox,  who,  although 
General  Greene  wrote  that  she  was  “fatter 
than  ever,”  could  still  tread  a measure  with 
grace  and  dignity.  Mrs.  Knox  had  two  young 
ladies  from  Boston  staying  with  her  this  win- 
ter, and  Mrs.  Washington  had  a couple  of 
128 


CAMP  LIFE 


Virginia  girls  with  her,  who  arrived  in  camp 
in  time  to  enjoy  this  ball,  of  which  General 
Knox  wrote  to  his  brother:  — 

“ We  had  at  the  Park  [artillery  park]  on  the 
18th  a most  genteel  entertainment  given  by  self  and 
officers.  Every  body  allows  it  to  be  the  first  of 
the  kind  ever  exhibited  in  this  State  at  least. 
We  had  above  seventy  ladies,  all  of  the  first  ton 
in  the  State,  and  between  three  and  four  hundred 
gentlemen.  We  danced  all  night  — an  elegant 
room,  the  illuminating,  fire  works,  &c.,  were  more 
than  pretty.” 

It  is  pleasant  to  think  of  New  Jersey,  which 
was  so  often  a battlefield  during  the  eight 
years’  war,  as  the  scene  of  such  festivities  as 
this  ball  or  such  “ pretty  little  frisks  ” as  those 
described  by  Greene  at  Middlebrook,  when  his 
Excellency  and  Mrs.  Greene  danced  upwards 
of  three  hours  without  once  sitting  down. 

We  find  no  mention  of  Mrs.  Washington 
having  joined  in  these  “pretty  frisks,”  but 
from  her  own  letters  and  contemporaneous 
journals  and  notes  it  appeal's  that  she  entered 
freely  into  the  social  pleasures  of  camp  life  as 
into  its  cares  and  anxieties.  She  was  present 
in  company  with  Mrs.  Greene  and  Mrs.  Knox 
at  a review,  in  May,  given  in  honor  of  the 
French  Minister,  M.  Gerard,  and  Don  Juan 
de  Mirailles,  when  the  General’s  favorite 

9 129 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


young  officer,  Major  Lee,  led  the  cavalcade 
with  his  troop  of  Virginia  Light  Horse  in 
their  fine  green  and  white  uniforms.  A num- 
ber of  ladies  were  present  at  this  review,  as 
they  were  at  a unique  one  held  later  in  the 
month,  when  the  Commander-in-Chief  re- 
viewed his  troops  in  the  presence  of  a group 
of  Indian  chiefs  from  western  Pennsylvania; 
whose  appearance,  says  Dr.  Thacher,  was 
beyond  description  ludicrous,  adorned  as  they 
were  with  eagles’  plumes,  bears’  claws,  and 
other  fanciful  decorations,  while  some  wore 
over  their  shoulders  ragged  shawls  that  flut- 
tered in  the  breeze.  In  writing  to  Mrs.  Custis 
of  this  review  Mrs.  Washington  says  that  she 
and  Mrs.  Knox  and  Mrs.  Greene  were  able  to 
witness  this  most  amusing  scene  from  a car- 
riage, adding,  “ Some  of  the  Indians  were  fine- 
looking,  but  most  of  them  appeared  worse  than 
Falstaff’s  gang.  And  such  horses  and  trap- 
pings ! The  General  says  it  was  done  to  keep 
the  Indians  friendly  toward  us.  They  appeared 
like  cutthroats,  all.  ” 

In  December,  1779,  the  Washingtons  were 
again  in  Morristown.  An  excellent  observa- 
tion post,  as  well  as  a safe  and  sheltered  win- 
ter home  for  the  army,  was  this  fine  plateau 
with  its  surrounding  hills,  from  one  of  whose 
heights  the  General  could,  by  means  of  sig- 

130 


CAMP  LIFE 


nals,  be  apprised  of  the  movements  of  the 
enemy  in  and  around  New  York  City.  An 
alarm  gun,  gigantic  for  those  days,  was 
stationed  upon  one  of  the  peaks  of  the  Short 
Hills,  ready  to  give  the  signal  in  case  of  a 
sudden  movement  of  the  British  toward  Phila- 
delphia or  West  Point,  the  interesting  ques- 
tion of  the  hour  being  which  of  those  places 
was  to  be  the  objective  point  of  the  foe.  Upon 
a hillside  near  the  Mendham  Road  the  artil- 
lery was  encamped,  their  commander,  Knox, 
having  his  quarters  in  a farmhouse  near  by, 
where,  surrounded  by  troops,  artillery  car- 
riages, and  all  the  circumstance  if  not  the 
pomp,  of  war,  Mrs.  Knox  and  her  little  chil- 
dren spent  this  winter.  Along  the  sides  of 
the  hills,  for  many  miles,  were  the  huts  of  the 
soldiers,  built  with  such  precision,  according 
to  Washington’s  directions,  that  an  observing 
traveller  said  that  “they  were  in  more  exact 
order  than  the  streets  of  Philadelphia.  ” 

That  road,  whose  sporting  title,  Jockey 
Hollow,  must  have  pleased  Washington  as  it 
does  lovers  of  horse  flesh  to-day,  led,  and  still 
leads,  to  a broad  level  space,  which  was  used 
as  a grand  parade  ground  for  the  whole  army.1 

1 Upon  the  Jocky  Hollow  road  and  originally  its  terminus, 
is  the  Wick  farm,  made  famous  by  the  exploit  of  Temperance 
Wick.  This  young  woman  owned  a fine  riding  horse  which 
was  greatly  admired  by  some  of  the  American  soldiers  en- 

131 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Up  hilly  Spring  Street,  at  whose  top  stands  a 
frame  house,  in  which  courts-martial  were 
held,  and  along  the  pleasant  Jockey  Hollow 
road  Washington  often  passed,  and,  according 
to  Dr.  Tuttle,  Mrs.  Washington  was  frequently 
by  his  side,  mounted  on  a fine  bay  horse. 
Their  faithful  mulatto  “ Bill  ” followed  them, 
and  they  were  always  escorted  by  a number  of 
the  Life  Guard,  often  by  its  Captain,  William 
Colfax,  and  such  other  favorite  officers  as 
Benjamin  Grymes,  Alexander  Hamilton,  or 
Tench  Tilghman,  and  such  bright  beauties  as 
the  Livingston  sisters  and  Miss  Elizabeth 
Schuyler.  Colonel  Tilghman  thought  this 
latter  young  lady  possessed  “the  most  good- 
natured,  lively  dark  eyes  ” that  he  had  ever 
seen ; but  the  beautiful  eyes  were  not  destined 
to  cast  their  soft  rays  upon  him,  as  Hamilton, 

camped  in  the  neighborhood  of  her  father’s  house.  One  day, 
while  riding  near  her  home,  she  was  pursued  and  surrounded 
by  several  soldiers  who  claimed  her  horse  for  the  use  of  the 
army.  Miss  Wick,  who  was  a fearless  rider,  made  a bold 
dash  and  so  outdistanced  her  pursuers  that  she  reached  her 
home  in  time  to  lead  her  horse  through  the  kitchen  and  parlor 
to  a bedroom  in  the  rear  of  the  house  which  had  but  one  win- 
dow guarded  by  a wooden  shutter.  Although  the  disap- 
pointed soldiers  repeatedly  searched  the  premises  for  the 
coveted  horse  they  were  unable  to  find  him,  no  indiscreet 
neigh  or  whinny  revealing  his  presence  in  “my  lady’s  cham- 
ber,” where  he  remained  undisturbed  until  the  troops  had 
left  the  neighborhood.  — See  The  Story  of  an  Old  Farm, 
by  Andrew  D.  Mellick. 


132 


CAMP  LIFE 


fascinating,  if  somewhat  inconstant,  was  at 
this  time  paying  devoted  attention  to  Miss 
Schuyler,  and  Tench  Tilghman  had  already 
found  favor  in  the  sight  of  a certain  fair 
cousin  of  his  own,  whom  he  afterwards 
married. 

The  home  of  the  Commander-in-Chief  was 
not  in  the  Arnold  Tavern  this  winter,  but  in 
a more  spacious  mansion  on  the  old  Columbia 
turnpike,  which  had  belonged  to  Colonel  Jacob 
Ford,  and  was  then  occupied  by  his  widow, 
Mrs.  Theodosia  Ford.1  In  this  large  house  it 
would  seem  as  if  the  Washingtons,  whose 
quarters  were  often  restricted,  might  have 
gratified  their  hospitable  desires  to  the  fullest 
extent,  and  as  if  in  this  kitchen,  with  its 
ample  fireplace,  dinners  might  have  been 
cooked  worthy  of  the  notable  Virginia  house- 
wife who  presided  over  the  table  in  the  adjoin- 
ing room;  yet  from  the  General’s  letters  it 
appears  that  his  quarters  were  crowded  even 

1 This  house,  as  it  stands  to-day,  seemingly  untouched  by 
the  hand  of  time,  surrounded  by  sloping  lawns  and  gardens, 
from  its  windows  commanding  a fine  view  of  near  and' distant 
hills,  is  like  a bit  of  last-century  history  set  down  in  the 
modern  life  of  Morristown.  So  it  is  destined  to  remain  in 
the  years  to  come ; for  the  old  mansion,  -with  all  the  memories 
that  render  it  dear  and  sacred,  has  been  gathered  under  the 
protecting  wings  of  the  Washington  Association  of  New 
Jersey,  whose  laudable  design  is  to  so  preserve  it  through 
future  generations. 


133 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


here.  Mrs.  Ford  and  her  attendants  lived 
in  the  house,  Washington’s  military  family 
had  to  be  accommodated,  and  he  and  Mrs. 
Washington  had  eighteen  servants  for  whom 
there  was  no  lodging-place  until  two  log- 
buildings  were  added  for  kitchen  and  offices. 
In  the  meadow  opposite  the  house  the  Life 
Guard  was  hutted,  and  upon  an  alarm  would 
at  once  take  possession  of  headquarters  and 
barricade  the  entrances,  five  men  being  placed 
at  each  open  window,  where,  with  guns  loaded 
and  cocked,  they  would  remain  until  troops 
from  camp  surrounded  the  house.  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington used  often  to  tell,  in  later  years, 
of  these  sudden  night  alarms,  when,  with 
all  the  covering  that  they  could  get,  she  and 
Mrs.  Ford  would  shiver  under  the  bedclothes 
while  the  winter  wind  swept  through  the 
open  windows  of  their  sleeping-rooms.  Mrs. 
Washington’s  room  was  on  the  right  hand  of 
the  front  door,  over  the  dining-room,  the 
General’s  bedroom  and  that  of  his  aides  being 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  hall.  Under  the 
arch  of  this  most  beautiful  Colonial  doorway 
passed  such  American  generals  as  Knox,  genial 
and  fun-loving  as  he  was  brave  and  true ; gal- 
lant Maxwell,  who  had  served  under  Wolfe  at 
Quebec ; Wayne, who,  if  he  was  “ Mad  Anthony” 
on  the  battlefield,  was  “Dandy  Wayne”  in 


134 


CAMP  LIFE 


my  lady’s  parlor ; the  splendid  fighting  Quaker, 
Greene;  “Molly  Stark’s  husband,”  whose  com- 
mand lay  over  among  the  hills ; Gist  and 
Smallwood,  and  such  distinguished  foreigners 
as  Von  Steuben,  Kosciusko,  and  Lafayette,  — 
who  was  like  a younger  brother  to  the  General 
and  his  wife, — the  Chevalier  de  la  Luzerne, 
and  Don  Juan  de  Mirailles.  Here,  also,  came 
governors  of  States,  members  of  Congress, 
and  many  Jersey  patriots  to  call  upon  the 
Commander-in-Chief,  bringing  their  wives  and 
daughters  with  them  to  pay  their  respects  to 
Lady  Washington.  Pretty  Mrs.  Greene  tripped 
up  those  steps  many  times  with  her  dear 
friend,  Cornelia  Lott,  and  Lady  Stirling  and 
her  daughter,  now  Lady  Kitty  Duer,  Mrs. 
Knox,  and  Mrs.  John  Cochran. 

While  his  wife  was  with  him,  the  General 
strove  to  cultivate  a social  spirit  in  camp, 
having  some  of  the  young  officers,  or  one  or 
other  of  the  married  officers,  with  their  wives, 
to  dine  with  him  nearly  every  day.  On  these 
occasions  he  and  Mrs.  Washington  sat  side  by 
side,  while  Colonel  Hamilton,  or  one  of  the 
other  aides,  carved  and  did  the  honors  of  the 
table.  Headquarters  was  more  attractive  than 
ever  to  Hamilton  this  season,  because  the 
Campfield  house,  where  Miss  Betsy  Schuyler 
was  spending  the  winter  with  her  aunt,  Mrs. 

135 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Cochran,  was  within  a five  minutes’  walk, 
beside  which,  the  young  lady  was  a great 
favorite  of  Mrs.  Washington’s,  and  her  fre- 
quent guest.  So,  also,  was  handsome  Captain 
Colfax,  whose  command  lay  in  the  meadow  in 
front  of  the  house,  for  whom  Mrs.  Washington 
entertained  so  warm  a friendship  that  she 
netted  for  him  a queue  net  with  her  own  hands. 
His  lady-love,  Hester  Schuyler,  a cousin  of 
Miss  Betsy’s,  lived  some  miles  away  at  Pomp- 
ton,  in  Bergen  County. 

In  April  M.  de  la  Luzerne  and  Don  Juan  de 
Miraillcs  were  entertained  at  headquarters, 
a grand  review  and  ball  being  given  in  their 
honor.  In  the  midst  of  these  festivities  the 
young  Spaniard,  De  Mirailles,  was  attacked 
with  a sudden  and  violent  illness.  Mrs. 
Washington  ministered  to  him  with  her  own 
hands,  but  despite  care  and  tender  nursing 
he  grew  rapidly  worse,  and  expired  at  head- 
quarters on  the  twenty-eighth. 

The  next  November,  while  on  her  way 
to  join  her  husband  at  New  Winsor,  Mrs. 
Washington  was  able  to  aid  and  encourage 
Mrs.  Bache  and  other  patriotic  Philadelphia 
women,  who  had  formed  an  association  for 
the  relief  of  the  soldiers.  To  the  fund  raised 
for  this  purpose,  which  amounted  to  over  seven 
thousand  dollars,  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette 

136 


CAMP  LIFE 


contributed  generously  in  the  name  of  his 
young  wife,  the  Countess  de  la  Luzerne  also 
contributed  handsomely,  as  did  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton, in  money,  as  well  as  in  time  and  thought. 
This  association,  which  had  been  organized 
with  Mrs.  Joseph  Reed  as  its  president,  was, 
after  her  death,  presided  over  by  Mrs.  Baclie, 
who  wrote  to  Washington  in  December,  ex- 
pressing the  hope  that  the  twenty-five  hundred 
shirts  which  she  was  sending  him  would  be 
worn  “with  as  much  pleasure  as  they  were 
made.”  The  amiable  De  Chastellux,  who 
greatly  admired  the  patriotic  devotion  of  these 
Philadelphia  women,  said  of  Mrs.  Washington, 
whom  he  met  at  Governor  Reed’s,  “ She  is 
about  forty,  or  five  and  forty,  rather  plump, 
but  fresh,  and  with  an  agreeable  face.” 

In  September,  1781,  Washington  crossed 
his  own  threshold  for  the  first  time  since  he 
had  accepted  the  command  of  the  army  in  the 
spring  of  ’75.  Mrs.  Washington’s  joy  in  hav- 
ing her  husband  at  Mount  Vernon  once  more 
was  of  brief  duration,  as  he  was  obliged  to  set 
out  for  Williamsburg  in  three  days,  to  com- 
plete the  business  that  had  brought  him  to  the 
South,  which  was  nothing  less  than  the  bril- 
liant military  movements  that  culminated  in 
the  surrender  of  Yorktown.  At  Mount  Ver- 
non, the  General  was  joined  by  the  Count  de 

137 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Rochambeau  and  the  Marquis  de  Chastellux, 
with  whom  he  journeyed  to  Williamsburg  to 
meet  Lafayette  and  De  Grasse.  It  was  when 
Washington  went  on  board  the  Ville  de 
Paris,  at  Hampton,  that  tho  amusing  inci- 
dent related  by  Mr.  Custis  occurred : The 
count,  with  true  French  effusiveness,  threw 
his  arms  about  the  Commander-in-Chief,  and 
giving  him  the  foreign  salute  on  either  cheek, 
exclaimed,  “My  dear  little  General,”  to  the 
great  amusement  of  the  officers  present,  who 
controlled  their  mirth  as  best  they  could, 
while  Knox,  whose  sense  of  humor  dominated 
his  notions  of  propriety,  laughed  until  his  fat 
sides  shook. 

Close  upon  the  heels  of  the  messenger  who 
brought  to  Mount  Vernon  the  joyful  news  of 
the  surrender  of  Lord  Cornwallis  with  his 
army,  there  followed  another  who  carried 
sorrow  in  his  train.  John  Custis,  who  had 
for  some  time  acted  as  aide  to  his  stepfather, 
was  ill,  dying,  at  Eltham.  This  gallant  young 
officer  was  attacked  by  camp  fever  in  the 
trenches  before  Yorktown,  and  realizing,  says 
his  son,  that  his  illness  would  be  mortal,  he 
had  but  one  wish  to  be  gratified,  which  was 
to  behold  the  surrender  of  the  sword  of 
Cornwallis.  He  was  supported  to  the  ground, 
witnessed  the  final  triumph,  and  was  then  con- 

538 


CAMP  LIFE 


veyed  to  Eltham,  a distance  of  thirty  miles 
from  camp.  Mrs.  Custis  and  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton reached  the  bedside  of  the  loved  husband 
and  son  only  in  time  to  soothe  the  last  hours 
of  the  sufferer.  From  the  field  of  victory  the 
Commander-in-Chief  was  summoned  by  an  ex- 
press from  Dr.  Craik,  announcing  that  there 
was  no  hope.  Attended  by  a single  officer 
and  a groom,  he  left  headquarters  at  mid- 
night, and,  to  use  his  own  words  : — 

“I  arrived  at  Eltham,  the  seat  of  Colonel  Bas- 
sett, in  time  to  see  poor  Custis  breathe  his  last. 
This  unexpected  and  affecting  event  threw  Mrs. 
Washington  and  Mrs.  Custis,  who  were  both  pres- 
ent, into  such  deep  distress  that  the  circumstance 
of  it,  and  a duty  I owed  to  the  deceased  in  assist- 
ing at  his  funeral,  prevented  my  reaching  this 
place  [Mount  Vernon]  till  the  13^.  ” 

John  Parke  Custis  died  on  the  fifth  of  No- 
vember, and  was  buried  at  Eltham.  Of  the 
four  children  whom  he  left,  three  daughters 
and  a son,  the  two  younger  were  adopted  by 
the  General,  and  ever  after  were  like  own 
children  to  him  as  well  as  to  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton. Eleanor  was  between  two  and  three 
years  of  age  at  the  time  of  her  father’s  death, 
and  her  brother,  the  General’s  namesake,  was 
a baby,  six  months  old. 

139 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Although  Lord  Cornwallis  himself  said  that 
the  victory  at  Yorktown  virtually  ended  the 
war,  with  the  British  still  in  possession  of 
New  York  City  and  other  important  points, 
Washington  realized  that  much  remained  to 
be  done.  After  spending  a few  days  at  Mount 
Yernon,  he  and  his  wife  set  forth  for  Phila- 
delphia. All  along  the  route  they  were  met 
with  the  most  enthusiastic  demonstrations  of 
joy,  while  the  “Pennsylvania  Journal,”  of 
November  28th,  thus  recorded  their  entry  into 
the  “ City  of  Brotherly  Love”:  “Arrived  in 
this  city,  His  Excellency,  General  Washington, 
our  victorious  and  illustrious  Commander-in- 
Chief  with  his  Lady.  All  panegyrick  is  vain, 
and  language  too  feeble  to  express  our  ideas  of 
his  greatness.” 

While  in  Philadelphia,  the  Washingtons 
made  their  home  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Benjamin 
Chew,  on  Third  Street,  between  Walnut  and 
Spruce,  a fine  large  mansion,  with  a beautiful 
garden  reaching  out  toward  Second  Street. 
At  this  time  Mrs.  Washington  seems  to  have 
striven  to  rise  above  the  deep  sorrow  that  filled 
her  heart,  and  to  enter  with  her  husband  into 
the  nation’s  joy  over  a great  and  hardly-earned 
victory.  Philadelphia  blazed  with  illumina- 
tions and  transparencies;  those  exhibited  by 
Mr.  Peale  at  the  windows  of  his  home  at  the 


140 


CAMP  LIFE 


corner  of  Third  and  Lombard  Streets  being 
the  work  of  this  distinguished  artist,  were 
especially  fine.  Here,  encircled  with  stars 
and  flowers-de-luce,  palms,  laurels,  and  rays 
of  glory,  were  the  portraits  of  Washington 
and  Rochambeau,  with  the  words,  “Shine, 
Valiant  Chiefs,”  above  their  heads  in  dazzling 
letters,  while  upon  a lower  window  the  name 
of  Cornwallis  appeared  upon  a ship,  with  the 
French  colors  flaunting  above  those  of  Britain, 
in  recognition  of  the  foreign  ally  who  had 
proved  that  “a  friend  in  need  is  a friend 
indeed.”  The  French  minister,  a few  days 
later,  “entertained  his  excellency,  general 
Washington,  and  his  lady,  the  lady  of  General 
Greene,  and  a very  polite  circle  of  the  gentle- 
men and  ladies,  with  an  elegant  Concert,  in 
which  an  Oratorio,  composed  & set  to  music 
by  a gentleman  whose  taste  in  the  polite  arts 
is  well  known,  was  introduced.”  Alexander 
Quesnay  de  Glouvay,  a French  gentleman,  who 
lived  on  Second  Street,  gave  a varied  and 
brilliant  entertainment  at  the  Southwark 
Theatre,  in  which  the  plays  of  “ Eugenie  ” 
and  the  “Lying  Valet”  were  followed  by  an 
illumination  in  which  the  thirteen  States  were 
represented  by  thirteen  columns  blazing  with 
light,  while  a cupid  supported  a laurel  crown 
over  the  motto,  “Washington, — the  pride  of 

141 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


his  country  and  the  terror  of  Britain.  ” Why 
cupid  was  selected  for  this  coronation  instead 
of  Mars  or  Minerva  is  not  explained  by  the 
French  gentleman  or  his  chronicler.  On 
Christmas  day  the  General  and  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington dined  with  their  good  friends,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Robert  Morris,  at  their  home  on  Front 
Street. 

The  Washingtons  remained  in  Philadelphia 
for  some  months.  On  March  21st  they  at- 
tended the  Commencement  of  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania,  on  Fourth  Street,  below 
Arch,  and  the  next  day  set  forth  for  New- 
burgh, accompanied  by  a large  escort,  which 
included  “ Captain  Morris’s  troop  of  city  light 
horse.”  On  their  journey  northward  they 
stopped  at  Burlington  and  Morristown,  reach- 
ing Newburgh,  by  way  of  Pompton  and  Ring- 
wood,  on  the  thirty-first  of  March. 


142 


VIII 


AFTER  THE  WAR 

“ I can  truly  say,  that  the  first  wish  of  my 
soul  is  to  return  speedily  into  the  bosom  of 
that  country,  which  gave  me  birth  and,  in  the 
sweet  enjoyment  of  domestic  happiness  and 
the  company  of  a few  friends,  to  end  my  days 
in  quiet,  when  I shall  be  called  from  this  stage.” 
So  wrote  Washington  from  Newburgh,  in  June, 
1782;  and  we  may  be  sure  that  this  was  also 
the  first  desire  of  Mrs.  Washington’s  home- 
loving  soul.  Although  a cessation  of  hostili- 
ties had  been  agreed  upon  by  Parliament, 
nearly  eighteen  months  of  camp  life  lay  before 
the  General,  and  many  trials  and  difficulties 
incident  to  the  disbanding  of  an  army  whose 
just  demands  the  treasury  of  the  new  nation 
was  inadequate  to  meet. 

The  Newburgh  headquarters  had,  at  an 
earlier  date,  been  established  in  the  house  of 
Colonel  Thomas  Ellison,  which  was  beautifully 
situated  upon  the  bluffs  bordering  the  Hudson  ; 
but  in  the  spring  and  summer  of  1782,  the 

143 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Washingtons  were  domiciled  in  the  Hasbrouck 
house,  named  after  Jonathan  Hasbrouck,  one 
of  the  good  Huguenot  founders  of  Newburgh. 
In  this  not  very  commodious  one-story  dwelling, 
containing  seven  rooms,  the  General  and  Mrs. 
Washington  entertained  many  distinguished 
guests,  among  them  the  Count  de  Rochambeau 
and  the  Marquis  de  Chastellux. 

Of  his  visit  to  headquarters  the  latter  wrote  : 

“At  six  o’clock  I arrived  at  Newborough,  where 
I found  M.  & Madame  Washington,  Colonel  Tigh- 
man,  Colonel  Humphreys  and  Major  Walker.  The 
headquarters  at  Newborough  consists  of  a single 
house,  & this  house  which  is  built  like  a Dutch 
cabin  is  neither  vast  or  commodious.  The  largest 
room,  which  was  the  living  room  of  the  proprietor 
and  his  family,  & which  General  Washington  has 
made  a dining-room,  is  spacious  but  it  has  seven 
doors  and  a single  window.  ...  I found  the  com- 
pany assembled  in  a small  room,  which  is  used  as 
a parlor.  At  nine  o’clock  supper  was  served,  and 
when  bed  time  came,  I recognized  that  the  chamber 
to  which  the  General  conducted  me  was  the  parlor, 
in  which  a camp-bed  had  been  placed.  We  assem- 
bled, the  next  morning,  for  breakfast,  at  ten  o’clock, 
and  while  we  were  at  table,  the  camp-bed  was 
folded  up  and  my  chamber  became  a reception 
room  for  the  afternoon;  for  American  manners  do 
not  permit  a bed  in  a room  where  company  is  re- 
ceived, especially  where  there  are  women.  The 
144 


AFTER  THE  WAR 


smallness  of  the  house  and  the  inconvenience  to 
which  M.  & Madame  Washington  were  put  to  re- 
ceive me  made  me  apprehensive  that  M.  de  Roch- 
ambeau,  who  started  one  day  after  me,  might  make 
equally  good  time  & and  arrive  at  Newborough 
while  I was  still  there.  I took  upon  myself  to 
send  a messenger  to  Fishkill,  to  ask  him  to  sleep 
there.  My  precaution  was  not  useless,  as  my  ex- 
press found  him  arrived  at  the  Landing,  where  he 
slept  & thus  did  not  join  us  until  the  next  morn- 
ing when  I was  about  to  take  my  departure.”  1 

Here  may  still  be  seen  this  oddly  constructed 
dining-room,  which  also  served  the  General  as 
an  office  and  reception  room.  Many  pleasant 
sociable  hours,  as  well  as  busy  ones,  were  spent 
in  this  quaint  apartment,  when  Steuben,  Lafay- 
ette, Knox,  and  the  young  staff  officers  joined 
the  circle  around  the  great  fireplace,  and  Mrs. 
Washington  and  her  guests,  attracted  by  the 
merriment  in  the  dining-room,  would  come  in 
from  the  parlor  to  enjoy  Lafayette’s  spirited 
description  of  his  difficulties  in  finding  his  way 
to  Knox’s  quarters  to  call  upon  his  wife,  or  to 
hear  his  brother  officers  chaff  Baron  Steuben 
upon  his  “ Hudson  whale,”  which  proved  to  be 
an  eel  of  rather  large  dimensions. 

The  quarters  of  General  Knox  were  in  an- 

1 Voyages  de  M.  le  Marquis  de  Cliastellux,  vol.  ii.  pp.  234, 
235. 


10 


145 


MART II A WASHINGTON 


other  Ellison  house,  some  distance  from  tlie 
river,  and  near  the  artillery  camp.  In  this 
house  Mrs.  Knox  held  her  soirees , at  one  of 
which  General  Washington  opened  the  ball 
with  Maria  Colden,  and  danced  with  other 
belles  of  the  country-side.  In  honor  of  the 
event,  or  as  a tribute  to  their  charms,  a French 
officer  who  was  present  inscribed  with  his 
diamond  ring  the  names  of  Maria  Colden, 
Getty  Wynkoop,  and  Sallie  Jansen,  upon  one 
of  the  small  window-panes  of  the  principal 
room,  — “a  fragile  reminder,”  says  a family 
historian,  “ yet  one  outlasting,  possibly,  even 
the  epitaphs  of  the  same  ladies  engraven  on 
stone.”  1 

While  the  Washingtons  were  at  Newburgh, 
a brilliant  entertainment  was  given  at  West 
Point  in  honor  of  the  birth  of  the  ill-starred 
little  Dauphin  of  France.  The  General  and 
Mrs.  Washington,  in  company  with  such  guests 
as  Governor  Clinton  and  his  wife,  Mrs.  Living- 
ston, wife  of  the  Chancellor,  and  Mrs.  James 
Montgomery,  sailed  down  the  river  to  West 
Point  in  barges  gayly  decorated  with  flowers 
and  laurel  wreaths.  Here  there  was  a grand 
parade  of  the  troops  on  both  sides  of  the  river, 

1 This  pane  of  glass,  with  the  three  names  written  upon 
it,  has  been  removed  from  the  old  house,  and  is  now  in  the 
possession  of  a member  of  the  Ellison  family  in  New  York. 

146 


AFTER  TEE  WAR 


a,  feu  de  joie , discharges  of  artillery,  fireworks, 
and  toasts  galore.  An  elaborate  dinner  was 
given,  of  which  over  five  hundred  guests  par- 
took, in  an  immense  arbor  designed  and  deco- 
rated by  Major  Villefranche.  After  the  dinner 
and  the  fireworks  there  was  a ball,  when,  says, 
Dr.  Thaclier,  “ General  Washington,  with  a 
dignified  and  graceful  air,  having  Mrs.  Knox 
for  his  partner,  carried  down  a dance  of  twenty 
couple  in  the  arbor  on  the  green  grass.” 

The  following  winter  Mrs.  Washington  was 
again  at  Newburgh,  helping  to  celebrate  the 
anniversary  of  the  alliance  with  France,  which 
had  caused  such  rejoicings  at  Valley  Forge  five 
years  before.  Of  far  greater  interest  to  her 
than  the  grand  parade,  the  feu  de  joie , or 
the  general  gayety  that  marked  the  day,  was 
the  pardon  of  all  military  prisoners,  proclaimed 
upon  this  occasion.  Writing  to  her  sister,  Mrs. 
Bassett,  the  next  day,  Mrs.  Washington  said: 

“Yesterday  there  was  an  interesting  scene  at 
Head-quarters.  Over  fifty  soldiers,  thinly  clad, 
and  with  pale  but  happy  faces,  whom  the  General 
had  pardoned  in  the  morning  for  various  crimes, 
came  to  express  their  gratitude  for  his  mercy  and 
kindness  to  them.  They  had  come  in  a body.  One 
of  them  was  spokesman  for  the  rest.  My  heart 
was  touched  and  my  eyes  were  filled  with  tears.  I 
gave  the  speaker  some  money  to  divide  among 
147 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


them  all,  and  bade  them  ‘go  and  sin  no  more.’ 
The  poor  fellow  kissed  my  hand  and  said,  ‘God 
bless  Lady  Washington!  ’ Poor  fellows ! ” 

It  was  during  the  following  summer,  when 
Mrs.  Washington  remained  at  Newburgh  until 
the  middle  of  August,  that  she  indulged  her 
taste  for  gardening.  The  slope  in  front  of  the 
headquarters,  under  her  skilful  hands,  bloomed 
like  the  desert  of  the  Scriptures.  Those  who 
remember  the  grounds  as  they  appeared  forty 
years  ago,  recall  rows  of  bricks,  still  standing, 
that  once  formed  the  borders  of  Lady  Wash- 
ington’s flower-beds. 

“ Mrs.  Washington  is  on  a jaunt  to  Esopus 
with  the  Governor  and  Mrs.  Clinton,”  wrote  the 
General  to  Mr.  Boudinot  in  June.  Later  in 
the  summer  the  good  lady  was  attacked  with  a 
fever,  which  laid  her  so  low  that  her  husband, 
who  had  just  returned  from  an  expedition  to 
Crown  Point  with  Governor  Clinton,  wrote  to 
Mr.  Boudinot,  in  reply  to  a resolve  of  Congress 
directing  his  attendance  at  Princeton  : “ Not- 
withstanding my  horses  had  arrived  but  a day 
or  two  before,  and  were  much  fatigued,  I should 
have  set  out  immediately,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
indisposition  of  Mrs.  Washington,  who,  during 
my  absence,  had  been  seized  with  a fever,  had 
a return  of  it  since,  and  is  now  in  a very  weak 

148 


AFTER  THE  WAR 


and  low  state.”  Late  in  August  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington was  able  to  leave  Newburgh  and  make 
the  journey  to  Princeton,  where  she  remained 
with  the  General  at  his  headquarters,  Rocky 
Hill,  until  November. 

These  last  days  of  camp  life,  although  full 
of  perplexities  to  Washington,  in  which  his 
wife  fully  sympathized,  were  illumined  by  the 
joyful  assurance  of  a great  work  accomplished, 
and  the  prospect  of  a speedy  return  to  home 
and  friends.  Lund  Washington’s  letters  were 
filled  with  cheerful  accounts  of  the  children  at 
Abingdon,  of  their  health  and  happiness.  In 
one  letter  he  says,  in  speaking  of  Washington 
and  Nelly  Custis,  “ I loved  the  father  and  I 
love  the  children  and  wish  them  every  good.” 

Mrs.  Custis  sometimes  stayed  at  Mount 
Vernon  with  her  children,  and  upon  one  of 
these  occasions,  Lund  wrote  that  Dr.  David 
Stuart,  of  Maryland,  was  a frequent  visitor  at 
the  house.  It  was  d propos  of  the  attentions  of 
this  gentleman  that  the  General  delivered  him- 
self of  the  following  oracular  period  with  regard 
to  giving  advice  to  women  on  the  subject  of 
marriage : — 

“ I never  did,  nor  do  I believe  I ever  shall,  give 
advice  to  a woman  who  is  setting  out  on  a matri- 

O 

monial  voyage;  first  because  I never  could  advise 
149 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


one  to  marry  without  her  own  consent ; and,  sec- 
ondly, because  I know  it  is  to  no  purpose  to  advise 
her  to  refrain  when  she  has  obtained  it.” 

Mrs.  Custis,  whom  Arthur  Lee  considered 
“ a most  tempting  widow  independent  of  the 
jointure  land,”  seems  to  have  experienced  no 
difficulty  in  obtaining  “her  own  consent,”  as 
she  married  Dr.  Stuart  soon  after  the  writing 
of  this  letter.  The  marriage  proved  a happy 
one,  as  the  doctor  made  an  excellent  husband, 
and  a good  father  to  his  stepchildren.  Mrs. 
Washington  and  the  General  entertained  a sin- 
cere regard  for  him,  the  latter,  during  his 
presidential  administration,  appointing  him  a 
Commissioner  for  the  District  of  Columbia. 
The  newly  wedded  pair  resided  at  Abingdon, 
the  home  of  the  bride  and  her  children,  for 
some  time  after  their  marriage,  although  Dr. 
Stuart  had  two  country-seats  of  his  own,  Hope 
Park  and  Ossian  Hall. 

On  the  nineteenth  of  December,  1783,  having 
a fortnight  before  taken  an  affecting  leave  of 
his  officers  at  Fraunce’s  tavern  in  New  York, 
the  Commander-in-Chief  reached  Annapolis, 
where  he  was  met  by  Mrs.  Washington,  who 
had  driven  from  Mount  Vernon.  His  arrival 
in  Annapolis  was  heralded  by  discharges  of 
cannon  and  general  rejoicings.  A grand  pub- 
150 


AFTER  THE  WAR 


lie  dinner  was  given,  followed  by  a ball  in  the 
State  House,  which  was  brilliantly  illuminated, 
and  where  the  hero  of  the  hour  led  the  dance 
with  Mrs.  James  Macubbin,  one  of  the  beauties 
of  Annapolis.  The  next  day  a solemn  scene 
took  place  in  the  senate  chamber  of  the  same 
old  building.  General  Washington,  at  his 
own  request  and  in  the  presence  of  the  Con- 
gress assembled,  resigned  into  the  hands  of  its 
president,  Thomas  Mifflin,  of  Pennsylvania,  the 
commission  intrusted  to  him  in  Philadelphia 
more  than  eight  years  before. 

“ There  was,”  says  one  writer  in  describing 
the  scene,  “ neither  military  nor  civic  display  ; 
about  twenty  members  were  gathered ; an  audi- 
ence, mostly  ladies,  sat  around  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington in  the  gallery,  when,  as  arranged,  the 
Commander-in-Chief  entered  the  hall  with  the 
remnant  of  his  staff,  Tench  Tilghman  and 
David  Humphreys,  William  S.  Smith,  Ben- 
jamin Walker,  and  perhaps  also,  Henry  Bay- 
lies.  Tilghman  and  Humphreys  took  their 
places  on  each  side  of  his  chair,  and  the 
words  of  the  simple,  dignified  address,  in  which 
he  surrendered  his  supreme  command,  were 
spoken  by  their  Chief.” 

Mr.  Green,  editor  of  the  “ Maryland  Ga- 
zette,” in  alluding  to  the  resignation  of  his  com- 
mission by  Washington,  said,  “ Here  we  must 

151 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


let  fall  the  scene  — few  tragedies  ever  drew 
tears  from  so  many  beautiful  eyes,  as  were 
affected  by  the  moving  manner  in  which  his 
excellency  took  his  final  leave  of  Congress.” 

When  Washington  turned  his  horses’  heads 
homeward,  he  and  his  wife  were  escorted  by 
several  of  his  staff  officers,  and  by  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Maryland,  William  Paca,  who  accom- 
panied them  as  far  as  the  South  River.  The 
little  party  passed  the  night  at  Queen  Anne, 
dined  the  next  day  at  Alexandria,  and  on  the 
evening  of  Christmas  reached  Mount  Vernon. 
The  delight  of  the  servants,  who  came  forth 
to  meet  the  beloved  master  and  mistress 
absent  from  them  so  much  during  the  eight 
years’  war,  can  be  better  imagined  than  de- 
scribed. Bishop,  now  old  and  silver-haired, 
came  out  to  the  roadside,  leaning  on  his  staff, 
to  greet  the  commander  whose  youthful  tri- 
umphs he  had  witnessed,  while  his  pretty 
daughter  pressed  forward  to  make  her  best 
courtesy  to  Madam,  who,  as  Bishop  was  proud 
to  say,  had  “ as  good  as  brought  up  the  girl.” 
Some  guests  from  Fredericksburg  were  in  the 
Mansion  House  ready  to  receive  the  travellers. 
A feu  de  joie  was  kept  up  by  the  men-servants 
during  the  evening,  with  guns  and  pistols, 
which,  with  the  sound  of  the  fiddle  and  banjo 
from  the  negroes’  quarters  and  the  happiness 

152 


AFTER  THE  WAR 


of  all  hearts,  made  the  evening  a merry  one. 
The  next  day  many  neighbors  called  to  wel- 
come the  Washingtons  to  their  home,  while 
the  servants  on  the  estate  ushered  in  the  holi- 
day week  by  appearing  in  their  best  clothes 
to  wish  them  a “ Merrie  Christmas,”  and  to 
receive  their  “ Christmas  box,”  from  the  hands 
of  a mistress  who  never  forgot  them.  One 
of  the  young  ladies  from  Fredericksburg  stay- 
ing in  the  house  wrote  to  a friend  of  this 
Christmas : — 

“ I must  tell  you  what  a charming  day  I speut 
at  Mount  Vernon  with  Mama  and  Sally.  The 
Gen’1  and  Madame  came  home  on  Christmas  Eve, 
and  such  a racket  the  Servants  made,  for  they  were 
glad  of  their  coming!  Three  handsome  young 
Officers  came  with  them.  All  Christmas  afternoon 
people  came  to  pay  their  Respects  and  Duty. 
Among  them  were  stately  Dames  and  gay  young 
Women.  The  Gen’1  seemed  very  happy,  and  Mis- 
tress Washington  was  from  Daybrake  making  every- 
thing as  agreeable  as  possible  for  Everybody.” 

Among  the  most  noted  of  the  callers  was 
Mr.  George  Mason,  of  Gunston  Hall,  whom 
this  lively  young  lady  admired  for  the  grace 
and  dignity  with  which  he  carried  his  sixty 
years,  as  well  as  for  his  reputed  learning  and 
statesmanship.  The  young  officers  to  whom 
she  refers  were  Colonel  David  Humphreys, 

153 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


who  later  accompanied  Jefferson  to  Paris  and 
held  many  positions  of  distinction ; Colonel 
William  Smith,  who  had  been  a valued  officer 
upon  Washington’s  staff  and  afterwards  mar- 
ried the  daughter  of  John  Adams  and  repre- 
sented his  country  abroad ; while  the  third  may 
have  been  either  Tench  Tilghman  or  Benjamin 
Walker,  both  of  whom  were  with  Washington 
at  Annapolis.  Colonels  Smith  and  Humphreys 
remained  at  Mount  Vernon  for  several  weeks 
assisting  their  former  commander  in  the  ardu- 
ous task  of  arranging  the  large  mass  of  papers 
and  letters  that  he  had  accumulated  during 
the  war. 

Winter-  winds  and  skies  seem  to  have  con- 
spired to  give  the  Washingtons  the  repose  in 
their  own  home  which  they  so  much  desired. 
Soon  after  his  return,  the  Geneixil  wrote  to  his 
good  friend,  the  Marquis  de  Chastellux,  that 
he  had  reached  his  own  “cottage”  the  day 
before  Christmas,  where  he  had  been  close 
locked  in  frost  and  snow  ever  since.  So  intem- 
perate was  the  weather,  to  use  the  General’s 
own  expression,  that  he  was  not  able  to  get  to 
Fredericksburg  to  visit  his  mother  and  sister 
until  February.  This  venerable  lad}r  was  in- 
vited more  than  once  to  make  her  home  at 
Mount  Vernon,  although  her  son,  in  one  of 
his  letters,  written  a little  later,  told  her  that 

154 


AFTER  THE  WAR 


he  feared  she  could  not  there  command  the 
freedom  and  quiet  that  she  needed,  as  the 
many  visitors  coming  and  going  had  made  his 
house  “ little  better  than  a well  resorted  inn.” 
The  dignity  and  independence  that  were  con- 
spicuous traits  in  the  character  of  Wash- 
ington were  possessed  by  his  mother  to  an 
unusual  extent.  Proud  and  fond  as  she  was 
of  “ George,”  she  declined  to  be  surprised  at 
his  great  success  and  at  the  honors  paid  him, 
because,  as  she  argued  with  refreshing  sim- 
plicity, he  had  “ always  been  a good  boy.”  In 
the  same  spirit,  she  insisted  that  her  modest 
little  home  in  Fredericksburg  had  been  and 
always  would  be  sufficient  for  her  needs,  reso- 
lutely refusing  all  invitations  to  live  with  one 
of  her  sons,  or  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Field- 
ing Lewis,  whose  beautiful  home,  Kenmore, 
was  a short  walk  from  her  own  house.1 

As  spring  opened,  many  visitors  came  to 
Mount  Vernon,  and  the  peace  under  the 
shadow  of  their  own  vine  and  fig-tree,  to 
which  the  General  and  his  wife  had  looked 
forward,  was  frequently  interrupted.  States- 
men, diplomats,  and  soldiers,  native  and  for- 
eign, inventors,  merchants,  sculptors,  painters, 

1 This  small  bnt  comfortable  house  is  still  to  be  seen  in 
Fredericksburg,  with  its  garden  in  which  Mrs.  Washington 
received  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette,  but  not  until  she  had 
finished  planting  her  row  of  peas. 

155 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


and  divines  all  flocked  to  this  home  upon  the 
Potomac.  The  General  recorded,  as  a note- 
worthy fact,  after  they  had  been  at  home  more 
than  a year,  that  for  the  first  time  he  and 
Mrs.  Washington  dined  alone.  Nothing,  how- 
ever, was  allowed  to  interfere  with  the  genuine 
hospitality  of  their  home,  or,  as  the  Gen- 
eral expressed  himself  to  a friend : “ My 
manner  of  living  is  plain,  and  I do  not  mean 
to  be  put  out  by  it.  A glass  of  wine  and 
a bit  of  mutton  are  always  ready,  and  such 
as  will  be  content  to  partake  of  them  are 
always  welcome.  Those  who  expect  more 
will  be  disappointed.”  The  “glass  of  wine 
and  bit  of  mutton,”  as  set  forth  by  the  Wash- 
ingtons, proved  a temptation  to  so  many 
guests  that  they  soon  realized  that  their  house 
was  quite  inadequate  to  meet  the  demands 
made  upon  it.  Some  additions  had  already 
been  made  to  what  Washington  modestly 
called  his  “villa”  or  “ cottage.”  He  wrote  to 
his  old  friend,  George  William  Fairfax,  from 
headquarters  at  Newburgh:  “Your  house  at 
Belvoir,  I am  sorry  to  add,  is  no  more,  but  mine 
(which  is  enlarged  since  you  saw  it)  is  most 
sincerely  and  heartily  at  your  service  till  you 
could  rebuild  it.”  More  extensive  additions  and 
improvements  were  begun  in  July,  1784,  which 
enlarged  the  house  to  more  than  twice  its 

156 


AFTER  THE  WAR 


original  dimensions.  In  this  work  the  Gen- 
eral was  his  own  architect,  although  the  plans, 
especially  those  which  affected  the  comfort 
and  conveniences  of  the  household,  were  sub- 
mitted to  Mrs.  Washington.  The  roof  was 
raised  to  include  two  full  stories  with  an  attic, 
wings  were  added,  and  a wide  open  piazza  was 
erected  on  the  river  front,  the  full  height  and 
length  of  the  mansion.  “ This  broad  piazza,” 
says  Dr.  J.  M.  Toner,  “ was  a sort  of  trysting 
place  in  summer  evenings,  where  the  family, 
guests,  and  neighbors  in  their  informal  calls,  as- 
sembled for  an  hour’s  chat  at  the  close  of  day.” 
An  inventory  of  the  furniture  of  Mount  Vernon 
shows  that  as  many  as  thirty  Winsor  chairs 
were  purchased  for  the  furnishing  of  this 
piazza.  A banquet  hall  was  also  built,  with 
a fireplace  so  spacious  that  when  the  General 
saw  it  he  objected  to  its  size,  whereupon  Lund 
Washington,  who  was  one  of  the  few  persons 
who  ventured  upon  anything  like  badinage 
with  him,  replied  that  it  was  large,  but  that 
it  was  exactly  the  size  that  Mr.  Washington 
had  ordered.  Mr.  John  Hunter,  who  visited 
Mount  Vernon  in  1785,  after  the  improve- 
ments were  completed,  thought  the  house 
very  elegant,  and  “ something  like  Cliantille 
[Chantilly],  the  Prince  de  Conde’s  place  near 
Paris,  only  not  quite  so  large.” 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Despite  her  genuine,  instinctive  hospital- 
ity, Mrs.  Washington’s  patience  was  doubtless 
sorely  tried  at  times  by  the  inopportune  arrival 
of  strangers,  as  when  Houdon,  the  French 
sculptor,  with  his  three  assistants,  reached 
Mount  Vernon  at  eleven  o’clock  at  night, 
when  the  household  was  wrapped  in  slumber. 

Some  of  the  presents  sent  to  the  General 
must  also  have  sensibly  disturbed  the  economy 
of  the  menac/e , as  when  Lafayette’s  French 
hounds  appeared  upon  the  scene.  If,  as  Wash- 
ington recorded  in  his  diary,  “ they  discovered 
no  great  disposition  for  hunting  in  the  field,  they 
so  distinguished  themselves  in  the  kitchen  that 
one  of  their  number  carried  off  a fine  ham 
that  the  cook  was  garnishing  for  the  table,  and 
that  Mrs.  Washington  counted  upon  as  a piece 
de  resistance  for  a large  number  of  guests,  who 
waited  in  vain  for  this  especial  course.  “ The 
lady,”  says  the  narrator  of  this  incident,  “ by 
no  means  relished  the  loss  of  a dish,  which 
formed  the  pride  of  her  table,  and  uttered  some 
remarks  by  no  means  favorable  to  Vulcan,  or 
indeed,  to  dogs  in  general,  while  the  Chief,  hav- 
ing heard  the  story,  communicated  it  to  his 
friends,  and  with  them,  laughed  heartily  at  the 
exploit  of  the  stag-hound.” 

In  view  of  the  numerous  guests  who  visited 
Mount  Vernon  at  all  times,  in  season  and  out 

158 


AFTER  THE  ir.lA' 


of  season,  it  does  not  seem  strange  that  a 
housekeeper  or  steward  should  have  been  re- 
quired, nor  does  this  fact  bear  out  Mr.  Ford’s 
theory  that  Mrs.  Washington  was  herself  an 
inefficient  housekeeper.  Her  duties  as  hostess 
alone  were  sufficient  to  employ  her  time  and 
strength,  and  the  General’s  letter  to  Samuel 
Fraunces,  in  New  York,  explains  the  situation 
fairly  when  he  applies  to  him  for  a trustworthy 
steward  for  the  household,  one  who  could 
be  “ recommended  for  honesty,  sobriety  and 
knowledge  of  their  profession,  which  is  in  a 
word  to  relieve  Mrs.  Washington  of  the  drudg- 
ery of  seeing  the  table  properly  covered  and 
things  economically  used.”  Again  the  General 
wrote  that,  although  the  wages  demanded  by 
Mrs.  Forbes  were  high,  that  was  a matter  of  no 
consequence  in  view  of  Mrs.  Washington’s  need 
of  a housekeeper,  grasping,  with  his  usual  judg- 
ment and  foresight,  the  importance  of  saving 
his  wife  from  the  petty  details  and  worries  of 
housekeeping,  in  order  to  insure  her  leisure  to 
do  justice  to  her  guests  in  the  drawing-room. 

An  atmosphere  of  constraint  and  severity  has, 
for  some  reason,  seemed  to  surround  the  home 
life  of  Mount  Vernon,  perhaps  in  consequence 
of  the  traditional  punctuality,  method,  and 
dignity  of  the  master  and  mistress  of  the 
household,  and  also  because  the  historians  of 

159 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Washington  have  simply  given  us  the  outlines 
of  his  home  life,  -without  those  intimate  per- 
sonal details  which,  like  the  lights  and  shadows 
in  a painting,  are  as  essential  to  its  complete- 
ness as  the  sharper  strokes.  There  has  fortu- 
nately come  down  to  us  through  family  recol- 
lections a sunnier  side  to  the  picture ; and 
while  there  are  still  living  those  who  can  recall 
reminiscences  of  grandmothers  and  great  aunts 
Avho  visited  Mount  Vernon  in  their  youth,  and 
told  them  of  the  simple  generous  hospitality 
of  that  old  Virginia  mansion,  some  descrip- 
tion of  the  Washingtons,  as  they  lived  in  their 
own  home,  may  still  be  traced  upon  paper  to 
serve  the  generations  to  come.  Something 
sweet  and  sacred  there  is  in  these  treasured 
family  recollections,  and,  as  they  are  opened 
for  us,  we  catch  a whiff  of  lavender  and  rose- 
leaves  from  Mrs.  Washington’s  dainty  linen- 
closets.  We  seem  to  hear  her  voice  in  the 
hall  or  gavden,  directing  her  numerous  ser- 
vants, or  giving  the  gardener  orders  about 
her  favorite  rose-bushes,  while  she  waits  for 
her  husband  to  come  home  to  breakfast.  The 
morning  meal  at  the  Mansion  House  was  not 
a late  one,  yet  in  the  busy  harvest  season 
the  General  often  rode  from  one  plantation  to 
another,  a distance  of  ten  miles,  before  he  sat 
down  to  the  delicious  Virginia  breakfast  of 
160 


AFTER  THE  WAR 


fresh  fish,  breakfast  bacon,  or  ham,  eggs, 
corn-cakes,  honey  and  coffee,  which  his  wife 
delighted  to  set  before  him. 

Mrs.  Washington’s  grandchildren — George 
Washington  Parke  Custis,  whom  his  adopted 
parents  always  called  Washington,  and  his  sister 
Eleanor,  better  known  as  Nelly  Custis,  were 
the  children  of  Mount  Vernon,  although  the  two 
elder  sisters  — Elizabeth  and  Martha  — were 
often  there.  Sometimes  the  whole  family  from 
Abingdon  or  Hope  Park,  Dr.  Stuart’s  seat, 
came  to  Mount  Vernon,  and  stayed  for  weeks 
at  a time,  in  the  good  old  Virginia  fashion.  In 
addition  to  the  children  of  John  Parke  Custis 
there  were  always  young  people  in  the  house. 
The  General’s  nephews  and  his  wife’s  nieces 
were  constantly  with  them,  the  former  attend- 
ing school  in  Alexandria  or  assisting  their 
uncle  with  his  clerical  work,  while  the  latter 
learned  from  their  aunt  many  lessons  in  house- 
wifely arts,  which  they  afterwards  recalled 
with  grateful  affection.  As  a result  of  this 
pleasant  intercourse  among  the  young  people, 
several  marriages  were  made  between  Dan- 
dridges  and  Washingtons,  which,  although 
most  agreeable  to  the  two  families,  have  led  to 
such  complications  in  the  lines  of  descent  as 
have  vexed  the  soul  of  the  genealogist  even 
unto  this  day. 

11 


161 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Early  in  the  next  year  Colonel  Bassett  brought 
his  daughter  Fanny  to  make  her  aunt  a long- 
visit.  This  young  lady,  the  daughter  of  Mrs. 
Washington's  favorite  sister,  Anna  Maria,  was 
much  at  Mount  Vernon,  before  and  after  her 
marriage,  her  first  husband  being  the  General’s 
nephew,  George  Augustine  Washington.  She 
always  spoke  of  her  aunt  as  a strict  disciplina- 
rian, conducting  her  portion  of  the  domain  with 
the  method  and  exactness  that  characterized 
her  husband’s  management  of  his.  Another 
niece  says  that  Mrs.  Washington  was  wont  to 
admonish  her  girl  guests  to  be  very  still  and  not 
disturb  the  General,  when  he  was  occupied  with 
important  business,  the  chief  object  of  her  life 
being  to  adapt  everything  in  their  home  to  the 
comfort  and  convenience  of  her  husband.  She 
would  frequently  say,  with  great  simplicity  and 
gravity,  that  his  thoughts  were  the  most  impor- 
tant things  in  the  world.  On  the  other  hand, 
when  the  General  had  no  serious  questions  un- 
der consideration,  and  was  at  leisure  to  enjoy 
the  social  side  of  life,  Mrs.  Washington  encour- 
aged the  young  people  in  the  house  to  draw  him 
into  their  pleasures.  Nelly  Custis,  who  never 
seems  to  have  stood  in  awe  of  her  adopted  fa- 
ther, delighted  in  after  life  to  tell  her  children 
and  grandchildren  how  much  he  enjoyed  the 
society  of  young  people,  and  how  heartily  he 


AFTER  THE  WAR 


would  often  laugh  over  some  merry  school-girl 
prank  of  hers  or  her  companions.  Another 
person  who  does  not  seem  to  have  felt  the 
restraint  in  the  presence  of  W ashington,  which 
has  been  so  much  dwelt  upon,  was  Henry  Lee,1 
a frequent  and  favorite  guest  at  Mount  Vernon. 
The  General,  while  Lee  was  dining  with  him 
one  day,  said  that  he  wanted  a pair  of  carriage 
horses,  and  asked  Lee  if  he  knew  where  he 
could  get  them. 

“ I have  a fine  pair,  General,”  replied  Lee, 
“ but  you  cannot  get  them.” 

•“  Why  not  ? ” 

“ Because  you  will  never  pay  more  than  half 
price  for  anything ; and  I must  have  full  price 
for  my  horses.” 

This  bantering  reply  set  Mrs.  Washington  to 
laughing,  and  the  parrot  perched  beside  her 
joined  in  the  laugh.  The  General,  taking  this 
assault  upon  his  dignity  in  good  part,  said, 
“ Ah,  Lee,  you  are  a funny  fellow.  See ! That 
bird  is  laughing  at  you.” 

The  dinner  hour  at  Mount  Vernon  was  three 
o’clock,  a late  one  for  those  days.  For  this 

1 General  Henry  Lee  was  the  son  of  Washington's  early 
love,  Lucy  Grymes.  Henry  Lee  distinguished  himself  during 
the  Revolution ; was  afterwards  Governor  of  Virginia,  and  in 
his  oration  upon  the  death  of  General  Washington  originated 
the  now  familiar  phrase,  “ First  in  war,  first  in  peace,  first  in 
the  hearts  of  his  countrymen.” 

163 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


meal  the  General  always  made  liis  toilet,  whether 
he  had  been  riding  or  whether  he  had  remained 
indoors,  whether  he  had  company  or  whether 
he  was  alone  ; and  in  this  respect  his  household 
was  expected  to  follow  him. 

A story  is  preserved  in  the  Halyburton  fam- 
ily of  later  days  at  Mount  Vernon,  when  Nelly 
Custis  was  a young  lady,  and  Martha  Dan- 
dridge,  a favorite  niece  of  Mrs.  Washington’s, 
and  other  gay  girls,  were  staying  there.  These 
young  people,  having  for  some  reason  neglected 
to  follow  the  rule  of  the  house,  appeared  at 
dinner  in  their  morning  dresses.  The  meal 
proceeded  without  comment  from  the  hostess ; 
but  while  still  at  table,  a coach  was  seen  ap- 
proaching along  the  drive.  There  was  naturally 
a flutter  of  anxiety  among  the  girls,  as  distin- 
guished guests  were  always  coming  to  Mount 
Vernon.  The  names  of  the  visitors  were  an- 
nounced,— some  French  officers  of  rank,  and 
Charles  Carroll,  Jr.,  of  Carrollton  ; whereupon 
the  young  ladies,  those  foolish  virgins  of  the 
party  who  had  not  their  lamps  trimmed  and 
burning,  begged  to  be  excused  to  make  their 
toilets,  to  which  Mrs.  Washington  replied  : — 

“ No,  remain  as  you  are,  what  is  good  enough 
for  General  Washington  is  good  enough  for  any 
guest  of  his.” 

One  version  of  the  story  is  that  the  girls 

164 


AFTER  THE  WAR 


appeared  in  curl-papers ; but  this  we  cannot 
believe,  — that  any  girl  of  that  olden  time 
should  have  ventured  to  present  herself  before 
the  stately  and  dignified  host  and  hostess  of 
Mount  Yernon  in  anything  so  unbecoming  as 
papillotes  is  beyond  the  belief  of  man,  or  wo- 
man either.  The  story,  without  the  curl-papers, 
has  come  down  to  this  generation  upon  the  best 
authority,  and  is  so  in  keeping  with  the  charac- 
ter and  ideas  of  Mrs.  Washington,  that  it  car- 
ries conviction  with  it,  and  with  it  also  an 
assurance  that  morning  dresses  and  dishabille 
never  again  showed  themselves  at  the  Mount 
Yernon  dinner-table. 

Dr.  McWhirr,  who,  while  instructor  in  the 
Alexandria  Academy,  where  the  General's  neph- 
ews were  being  educated,  frequently  dined  with 
the  Washingtons,  said  that  the  awe  and  restraint 
felt  by  many  persons  in  the  presence  of  the  host 
“ were  relieved  by  the  vivacity  and  grace  of  Mrs. 
Washington.”  He  describes  the  family  seated 
at  table,  — Mrs.  Washington  at  the  head,  Major 
Washington  at  the  foot,  and  the  General  beside 
his  wife,  on  her  left.  “ The  General  called  upon 
me,”  says  Dr.  McWhirr,  “ to  ask  a blessing  be- 
fore meat.  When  the  cloth  was  about  to  be 
removed  he  returned  thanks  himself.  Mrs. 
Washington,  with  a smile,  said,  ‘ My  dear,  you 
forgot  that  you  had  a clergyman  dining  with 

1G5 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


you  to-day ; ’ to  which  he  replied,  with  equal 
pleasantness,  ‘ My  dear,  I wish  clergymen  and 
all  men  to  know  that  I am  not  a graceless 
man.’  ” 

To  find  the  great  Washington  guilty  of  a pun, 
allies  him  so  genially  to  our  every-day  human 
nature  that  we  are  willing  to  overlook  its  trite- 
ness. It  is  also  interesting  to  learn  that  Mrs. 
Washington  sometimes  administered  a wifely 
reproof  to  her  distinguished  husband,  and  that 
often,  when  she  had  something  to  communicate 
or  some  request  to  make,  at  a moment  when 
he  was  absorbed  in  his  own  thoughts,  the  little 
lady  would  seize  him  by  the  button  of  his  coat, 
when,  said  Nelly  Custis,  he  would  look  down 
upon  her  most  affectionately  from  his  superior 
height,  and  become  attentive  to  her  wishes, 
which  were  never  slighted. 

The  young  French  traveller,  Brissot  de 
Warville,  said  of  the  Mount  Vernon  house- 
hold : — 

“Everything  has  an  air  of  simplicity  in  his 
[Washington’s]  house ; his  table  is  good,  but  not 
ostentatious ; and  no  deviation  is  seen  from  regu- 
larity and  domestic  economy.  Mrs.  Washington 
superintends  the  whole,  and  joins  to  the  qualities 
of  an  excellent  housewife,  that  simple  dignity 
which  ought  to  characterise  a woman  whose  hus- 
band has  acted  the  greatest  part  on  the  theatre  of 
166 


AFTER  THE  WAR 


human  affairs;  -while  she  possesses  that  amenity, 
ami  manifests  that  attention  to  strangers,  which 
renders  hospitality  so  charming.” 

In  April,  1784,  the  Chevalier  de  la  Luzerne 
was  at  Mount  Vernon,  delighted  to  renew  his 
acquaintance  with  the  great  General,  whom  he 
described  as  a gray-coated  farmer,  nothing  in 
his  surroundings  recalling  the  important  part 
he  had  played  in  his  country’s  history  except 
the  large  number  of  guests,  native  and  foreign, 
who  gathered  about  him  to  do  him  honor.  Late 
in  the  following  summer  the  Marquis  de  Lafay- 
ette, for  whom,  the  General  says,  he  looked 
“ with  the  eyes  of  friendship  and  impatience,” 
was  welcomed  by  the  Washingtons  to  their  home. 
Their  only  regret  seems  to  have  been  that  his 
wife  had  not  accompanied  him.  The  previous 
winter  Mrs.  Washington  had  sent  a cordial  in- 
vitation to  the  Marchioness  to  visit  her,  to  which 
the  French  lady,  who  could  not  make  up  her 
mind  to  face  the  terrors  of  the  ocean,  replied 
by  sending  her  felicitations  to  the  General  and 
his  wife  upon  their  retirement  from  public  life, 
and  a warm  invitation  to  Mrs.  "Washington  to 
visit  her  in  Paris.  To  this  courtesy  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington replied,  through  her  husband,  that  she 
was  “ too  far  advanced  in  years,  and  too  much 
immersed  in  the  care  of  her  little  progeny  to  cross 
the  Atlantic.”  In  December  of  the  same  year, 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Lafayette  was  again  at  Mount  Vernon,  this  time 
to  take  a final  farewell  of  his  much-loved  Vir- 
ginia friends.  The  General,  who  accompanied 
his  guest  as  far  as  Annapolis,  where  an  elegant 
ball  was  given  in  his  honor,  thus  wrote  to  the 
young  Frenchman  a few  days  after  his  de- 
parture : — 

“In  the  moment  of  our  separation,  upon  the 
road  as  I travelled,  and  every  hour  since,  I have 
felt  all  that  love,  respect,  and  attachment  for  you, 
with  which  length  of  years,  close  connexion,  and 
your  merits  have  inspired  me.  I often  asked  my- 
self,  as  our  carriages  separated,  whether  that  was 
the  last  sight  I ever  should  have  of  you.”1 

The  next  spring  Mrs.  Washington  received 
by  the  same  express  the  sad  tidings  of  the  death 
of  her  step-mother,  and  of  her  brother,  Mr.  Bar- 
tholomew Dand ridge.  With  her,  family  ties 
seem  to  have  been  very  strong.  She  was  deeply 
attached  to  her  step-mother,  while  in  her 
brother,  a man  universally  honored  and  re- 
spected, she  and  her  husband  lost  a valued 
friend.1 

1 Martha  Washington  Dandridge,  who  afterwards  married 
Dr.  William  Ilaly burton,  of  Haddington,  Scotland,  was  a 
daughter  of  Mr.  Bartholomew  Dandridge,  while  his  son  and 
namesake  was  private  secretary  to  the  General,  and  afterwards 
Secretary  of  Legation  at  the  Court  of  St.  James,  and  Consul 
to  San  Domingo. 


168 


AFTER  TEE  WAR 


Perhaps  in  consequence  of  this  double  be- 
reavement, the  wedding  of  Fanny  Bassett  to  the 
General’s  nephew,  George  Augustine  Washing- 
ton, which  was  solemnized  at  Mount  Vernon  in 
the  autumn  of  1785,  was  a very  quiet  one.  Miss 
Fanny  Bassett  had  been  making  her  home  with 
the  Washingtons  for  some  months  prior  to  her 
marriage,  and  was  doubtless  assisted  by  her 
aunt  in  her  preparations  for  the  important 
event,  which  the  General  thus  concisely  re- 
corded in  his  diary,  after  stating  that  several 
guests,  among  them  Mrs.  Lund  Washington, 
Dr.  David  Griffith,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Grayson, 
were  staying  in  the  home:  “After  the  can- 
dles were  lighted  George  Auge  Washington  and 
Frances  Bassett  were  married  by  Mr.  Grayson.” 
Soon  after  this  wedding  Mr.  John  Hunter,  a 
London  merchant,  visited  the  Washingtons,  in 
company  with  Richard  Henry  Lee,  his  son  Lud- 
well,  and  Colonel  Fitzgerald.  Mr.  Hunter,  in 
his  description  of  his  reception  at  Mount  Ver- 
non, has  included  a pleasant  picture  of  the 
bride,  Mrs.  George  Augustine  Washington: — ■ 

“ When  I was  first  introduced  to  him  [General 
Washington]  he  was  neatly  dressed  in  a plain  blue 
coat,  white  cassimir  waistcoat,  and  black  breeches 
and  Boots,  as  he  came  from  his  farm.  After  having 
sat  with  us  sometime  he  retired  and  sent  in  his 
lady,  a most  agreeable  woman  about  50,  and  Major 
169 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Washington,  his  nephew,  married  about  three  weeks 
ago  to  Miss  Bessot  [Bassett]:  she  is  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington’s niece  and  a most  charming  young  woman. 
She  is  about  19.  After  chatting  with  them  for  half 
an  hour,  the  General  came  in  again,  with  his  hair 
neatly  powdered,  a clean  shirt  on,  a plain  drab  coat, 
white  waistcoat  and  white  silk  stockings.  At  three, 
dinner  was  on  table,  and  we  were  shown  by  the 
General  into  another  room,  where  everything  was 
set  off  with  a peculiar  taste  and  at  the  same  time 
very  neat  and  plain.” 

Mr.  Hunter  seems  by  some  means  to  have 
won  the  confidence  of  his  hostess,  perhaps  by 
assuring  her  of  what  he  recorded  in  his  diary, 
that  the  situation  of  Mount  Vernon  was  the 
sweetest  in  the  world,  as  she  talked  to  him  with 
great  freedom  especially  of  her  army  experi- 
ence. “ It  is  astonishing,”  he  wrote,  “ with 
what  raptures  Mrs.  Washington  spoke  about 
the  discipline  of  the  army,  the  excellent  order 
they  were  in,  — superior  to  any  troops,  she  said, 
upon  the  face  of  the  earth  towards  the  close  of 
the  war ; even  the  English  acknowledged  it 
she  said.  What  pleasure  she  took  in  the  sound 
of  the  fifes  and  drums,  preferring  it  to  any 
music  that  was  ever  heard ! ” 1 

During  the  early  years  of  their  retirement 

1 “ Pennsylvania  Magazine  of  History  and  Biography,” 
vol.  xvii.  p.  76. 


170 


AFTER  THE  WAR 


from  public  life  the  Washingtons  were  visited 
by  Samuel  Chase,  of  Maryland ; by  Noah  Web- 
ster, the  lexicographer  ; by  Alexander  Hender- 
son, Elkanah  Watson,  William  Drayton,  from 
South  Carolina  ; General  John  Cadwalader,  and 
Dr.  Jedidiah  Morse.  The  last  named  guest 
described  the  three  o’clock  dinner  at  Mount 
Vernon,  at  which  time  they  remained  at  table 
an  hour,  every  person  being  called  upon  to 
give  some  absent  friend  as  a toast.  After 
this,  he  says,  the  General  partook  of  nothing 
except  “ two  dishes  of  tea  at  half  an  hour 
before  sunsetting.” 

In  June,  1785,  Mrs.  Macaulay  Graham  and 
Mr.  Graham  were  at  Mount  Vernon.  The 
learned  English  lady  had  crossed  the  ocean  for 
the  express  purpose  of  seeing  General  Wash- 
ington, who  showed  his  appreciation  of  this 
attention,  and  of  her  intelligence,  by  placing 
his  military  record  in  her  hands  “ for  her  peru- 
sal and  amusement.”  Other  amusements  were 
doubtless  offered  Mrs.  Graham  during  this 
visit,  as  she  won  the  admiration  and  affection 
of  Mrs.  Washington,  while  the  General  proved 
his  partiality  for  her  by  writing  to  her  from 
New  York,  after  his  inauguration  as  President, 
to  assure  her  that  he  and  his  wife  were  still  as 
good  republicans  as  she  could  wish  them  to  be. 
Mr.  Graham  is  simply  mentioned  in  connec- 

171 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


tion  with  this  lack’s  sojourn  at  Mount  Vernon, 
lie  was  many  years  her  junior,  and  when  Mrs. 
Macaulay  added  his  name  to  hers  she  was  se- 
verely censured  by  her  friends.  Kindly  Mrs. 
Warren  had,  however,  a good  word  for  him, 
her  verdict  being  that  he  was  “ a man  of  under- 
standing and  virtue.” 

Another  learned  lady  who  visited  the  Wash- 
ingtons was  Mrs.  Deborah  Logan,  of  Philadel- 
phia, who  has  left  in  her  diary  a pleasant 
account  of  stopping  at  Mount  Vernon  with  her 
husband,  Dr.  George  Logan,  upon  their  return 
from  a Southern  trip  in  1788. 

“We  were  received,”  she  says,  “by  his  Lady 
■with  much  politeness  & entertained  by  her  till 
the  General  returned  from  a ride  he  had  taken 
with  a gentleman  his  guest. 

“Dr.  Logan  was  out  with  Colonel  Humphreys, 
who  lived  at  Mount  Vernon,  when  a Frenchman 
called  with  letters  to  the  General  and  waited  his 
arrival  in  the  parlour. 

“The  General  was  at  this  time  rather  too  much 
teized  with  such  company,  & neither  the  manners 
nor  appearance  of  the  present  guest  proclaimed 
him  to  be  of  great  respectability.  Upon  General 
Washingtons  entrance,  he  presented  him  his  let- 
ters of  Interduction,  & was  courteously  received. 
Mrs.  Washington  introduced  me  in  a low  voice, 
& ye  General  not  hearing  my  name  & seeing  no 
172 


AFTER  TUE  WAR 


other  Gentleman,  thought  I was  the  wife  of  the 
Frenchman  I suppose,  for  he  directed  all  his  con- 
versation to  me  & at  length  said,  1 How  long 
have  you  been  in  this  Country  Madam?  for  you 
speak  our  language  admirably  well,  ’ vexed  at  his 
thinkiug  I belonged  to  the  Frenchman,  I very 
quickly  replied,  ‘ I am  an  American,  the  wife  of 
Dr.  Logan.’  The  General  rose  & welcomed  me,  & 
after  dinner  when  the  foreigner  had  taken  his 
leave,  he  apologised  in  the  politest  manner  for  his 
mistake. 

“I  do  not  think  it  easy  for  one  human  being  to 
respect  & venerate  another  more  than  I did  this 
truly  great  man.”  1 

Robert  Edge  Pine,  an  English  artist,  was  at 
Mount  Vernon  in  the  spring  of  1785,  painting- 
portraits  of  the  General  and  of  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton’s two  grandchildren,  Elizabeth  and  Wash- 
ington. The  former  represents  a lovely  girl  of 
nine,  with  a profusion  of  brown  curls,  while  the 
latter  is  a graceful  picture  of  a boy  of  four  or 
five,  with  a bow  or  branch  in  his  hand.  The 
latter,  in  his  recollections  of  his  adopted 
father,  speaks  of  a miniature  of  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton which  the  General  always  wore  around  his 
neck,  suspended  by  a gold  chain  and  resting 
upon  his  breast,  but  does  not  say  by  whom 

1 Extract  from  tlie  unpublished  manuscript  of  The  Life  of 
Dr.  George  Logan  of  Stenton,  by  Frances  A.  Logan. 

173 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


this  miniature  was  executed.  Pine  painted  a 
miniature  of  Mrs.  Washington  in  1785,  and 
Charles  Willson  Peale  painted  one  of  her  when 
she  was  a much  younger  woman.1 

“ Most  of  the  legislatures  have  appointed, 
and  the  rest  it  is  said  will  appoint,  delegates  to 
meet  in  Philadelphia  on  the  second  Monday  in 
May  next  in  a general  convention  of  the  States, 
to  revise  and  correct  the  defects  of  the  federal 
system.”  So  wrote  Washington  in  March, 
1787,  and  a few  weeks  later,  after  visiting  his 
mother  and  sister,  who  were  dangerously  ill  at 
Fredericksburg,  he  set  forth  for  Philadelphia. 
Mrs.  Washington  did  not  accompany  her  hus- 
band upon  this  journey,  but  remained  at  Mount 
Vernon  with  her  little  grandchildren,  and  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  George  Augustine  Washington,  and 
Mr.  Tobias  Lear.  This  young  gentleman,  a 
New  Englander  by  birth  and  a Harvard  gradu- 
ate, came  to  Mount  Vernon  in  the  capacity  of 
private  secretary  to  the  General  and  tutor  to 
the  Custis  children.  He  soon  became  a valued 
friend  of  the  Washingtons,  entering  with  them 
into  all  their  social  pleasures.  He  was  of  great 
assistance  to  Mrs.  Washington  in  dispensing 
the  hospitalities  of  Mount  Vernon,  and  of  the 

1 This  Peale  miniature  was  designed  for  John  Parke 
Custis,  and  is  now  in  the  possession  of  his  granddaughter, 
Mrs.  Beverly  Kennon,  of  Georgetown,  U.  C. 

174 


AFTER  THE  WAR 


presidential  mansions  in  New  York  and  in 
Philadelphia. 

Although  Mrs.  Washington  seems  never  to 
have  urged  the  General  to  turn  aside  from 
what  he  considered  his  duty  to  his  country,  she 
must  have  seen  him  set  forth  upon  this  journey 
with  considerable  solicitude.  He  was  far  from 
well,  having,  as  he  himself  records,  been  suf- 
fering from  “ a rheumatic  complaint  for  six 
months,”  beside  which  his  mind  was  oppressed 
by  the  illness  of  his  mother  and  sister,  and  the 
recent  death  of  his  brother,  John  Augustine, 
who  was,  he  says,  “ the  intimate  companion  of 
my  youth  and  the  friend  of  my  ripened  age.” 

During  the  absence  of  her  husband  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington entertained  numerous  guests,  among 
them  Mr.  Samuel  Vaughan,  from  London,  who 
had  sent  the  General  a beautiful  Italian  chim- 
ney-piece, which  is  still  to  be  seen  in  the 
di'awing-room  at  Mount  Vernon,  while  Wash- 
ington in  Philadelphia  wrote  in  his  journal  of 
dinners,  visits,  and  tea-drinkings  at  the  Will- 
ings’,  Peters’,  Merediths’,  Penns’,  Hamiltons’, 
Logans’,  and  Mifflins’.  One  of  the  most  notable 
social  events  of  this  visit  was  the  marriage  of 
Miss  Peggy  Chew,  of  Meschianza  fame,  to  one 
of  Washington’s  brave  young  officers,  Colonel 
John  Eager  Howard,  of  Baltimore.  Upon  this 
occasion  the  General  writes:  “Dined  at  Mr. 


175 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Chew’s  with  the  Wedding  guests.  Drank  Tea 
there  in  a very  large  Circle  of  Ladies.”  It  is 
interesting  to  note  that,  the  war  being  over, 
Washington  at  once  resumed  his  friendly  rela- 
tions with  the  Chews,  Penns,  Hamiltons,  and 
others  whom  differences  of  opinion  had  sepa- 
rated from  him  during  its  progress. 

In  October,  when  the  Mount  Vernon  grounds 
were  all  in  the  beauty  of  autumn  color,  the 
General  and  Mrs.  Washington  enjoyed  a visit 
from  their  good  friends  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel 
Powel,  of  Philadelphia.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles 
Cotesworth  Pinckney,  of  South  Carolina,  also 
visited  them  on  their  return  from  the  Federal 
Convention.  The  Powels  rode  over  to  Belvoir 
with  the  Washingtons  to  view  the  ruins  of  the 
Fairfax  house,  and  a fortnight  later  were  again 
at  Mount  Vernon,  probably  en  route  for  home. 
Robert  and  Gouverneur  Morris  were  both  here 
during  this  autumn,  and  the  following  May 
Mrs.  Washington  had  the  pleasure  of  a visit 
from  her  dear  friend  Mrs.  Robert  Morris,  her 
two  sons,  Robert  and  Thomas,  who  had  recently 
returned  from  Europe,  and  her  daughter  Hetty. 
Mrs.  Morris  and  her  children  were  on  their 
wrny  to  meet  Mr.  Morris  in  Richmond,  and  upon 
their  return  from  that  place  in  July,  they  all 
stopped  at  Mount  Vernon  for  several  days.  At 
the  conclusion  of  this  visit  the  Washingtons 
176 


AFTER  THE  WAR 


helped  to  speed  their  departing  guests  as  far  as 
Alexandria,  where,  says  the  General,  “ we 
all  dined  (in  a large  Company)  at  Mr.  Wm. 
Hunters.”1 

The  Washingtons  in  these  days  seem  to  have 
frequently  dined  abroad,  at  Abingdon,  at  the 
Fendalls’  in  Alexandria,  with  Colonel  and  Mrs. 
Henry  Lee,  with  Dr.  William  Herbert,  and 
with  their  neighbor,  Mr.  George  Digges. 

Upon  their  journey  to  Fredericksburg,  in 
June,  1788,  they  dined  and  lodged  at  Colonel 
Thomas  Blackburn’s.  This  trip  to  Fredericks- 
burg was,  as  the  General  said,  intended  as  a 
visit  to  his  mother.  He  and  Mrs.  Washington, 
however,  lodged  and  kept  their  horses  at  Ken- 
more,  the  home  of  Mrs.  Fielding  Lewis,  and 
were  obliged  to  devote  much  of  their  time  in 
attending  a series  of  dinner  parties  given  to 
them  in  this  hospitable  town.  One  evening 
Mrs.  Lewis  had  Mr.  Fitzhugh,  of  Chatham, 
Colonel  Carter  and  Colonel  Willis,  with  their 
ladies,  to  meet  the  W ashingtons ; the  next  day 
there  was  a large  dinner  party  at  Mansfield, 
the  seat  of  Mr.  Mann  Page ; and  on  the  day 
after  they  visited  General  Spotswood  and  dined 
at  his  home.  The  last  day  of  this  visit  was 
Sunday,  and  the  General  records  that  they 
went  to  St.  George’s  Church.  Here  the  crowd 

1 Washington  after  the  Revolution,  by  William  S.  Baker. 

12  177 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


was  so  great,  in  consequence  of  the  presence 
of  the  distinguished  visitors,  that  an  alarm 
was  raised  that  the  gallery  at  the  north  end 
of  the  church  was  about  to  fall,  and  although, 
as  Washington  wrote,  the  alarm  was  “without 
cause,  the  congregation  was  thrown  into  the 
utmost  confusion ; and  in  the  precipitate  re- 
treat many  got  hurt.”  After  church  there  was 
a large  dinner  company  at  the  house  of  Colonel 
Willis.  The  General  and  Mrs.  Washington 
took  leave  of  their  friends  in  the  afternoon,  and 
crossing  the  river  visited  Chatham,  the  home 
of  the  Fitzhughs,  a beautiful  Colonial  mansion, 
with  spacious  rooms  and  extensive  wings, 
which  from  its  series  of  terraces  commands 
a fine  view  of  the  picturesque  shores  of  the 
Rappahannock.  Here  they  were  entertained 
over  night,  or  as  much  of  it  as  travellers  could 
claim  who  were  upon  the  road  again  by  five 
o’clock  in  the  morning. 

Upon  this  trip  to  Fredericksburg,  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington saw  her  mother-in-law  for  the  last  time, 
although  the  General  visited  her  again  in  March, 
before  setting  out  for  the  inauguration  in  New 
York.  Mr.  Alexander  Donald,  who  stayed  at 
Mount  Yernon  soon  after  the  General’s  return 
from  the  sessions  of  the  Convention  in  Phila- 
delphia, wrote  to  Mr  Jefferson  “ that  al- 
though Washington  appeared  to  be  earnestly 
178 


AFTER  THE  WAR 


against  going  into  public  life  again,  pleading 
as  excuses  his  love  of  retirement  and  liis 
advanced  age,  be,  Mr.  Donald,  thought  from 
what  had  passed  between  them  in  a long  and 
serious  conversation  and  from  some  remarks 
made  by  Mrs.  Washington,  that  he  might  be 
induced  to  appear  once  more  upon  the  stage  of 
public  life.”  The  conflict  between  duty  and 
inclination  was  a sharp  one,  during  the  months 
that  intervened  between  the  Congress  of  1787 
and  the  final  ratification  of  the  Constitution 
by  a majority  of  the  States,  as  intimations 
came  to  Washington  from  many  sources  that 
he  would  be  the  natural  choice  of  a people  who 
loved  and  trusted  him  beyond  any  man  in  the 
nation.  This  delay,  and  that  occasioned  by 
the  tardy  assembling  of  Congress  in  New  York 
to  hear  the  report  of  the  presidential  electors, 
were  hailed  by  Washington  as  a reprieve;  and 
as  if  to  take  advantage  of  the  sweets  of  the 
family  and  country  life  that  would  not  much 
longer  be  his,  he  made  many  neighborly  visits 
with  Mrs.  Washington,  pruned  and  grafted  his 
trees,  attended  meetings  of  the  Potomac  Com- 
pany, and  hunted  the  fox  in  company  with 
Colonel  Washington,  Colonel  Humphreys,  and 
Mr.  Lear. 

Among  guests  entertained  at  Mount  Vernon 
in  this  interval  were  the  Comte  de  Moustier, 

179 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


his  sister,  Madame  de  Br6han,  and  her  son, 
who  brought  with  them  letters  of  introduction 
from  Lafayette,  and  were  accompanied  by  Mr. 
Victor  du  Pont.  A number  of  ladies  and 
gentlemen  of  the  neighborhood  were  invited 
to  dine  with  these  distinguished  guests,  among 
them  “ Mr.  Herbert  and  his  Lady,  Mr.  Potts 
and  his  Lady,  Mr.  Ludwell  Lee  and  his  Lady 
and  Miss  Nancy  Craik.”  The  Comte  de  Mou- 
stier  is  described  as  a handsome  and  elegant 
man,  while  his  sister,  the  Marchioness,  who 
was  small  and  somewhat  eccentric  in  manners, 
was  possessed  of  considerable  talent  with  both 
pen  and  brush.  Later,  when  the  Washingtons 
were  in  New  York,  she  completed  a miniature 
of  the  General, begun  from  memory,  which  was 
so  pleasing  to  him  that  he  paid  it  the  high 
compliment  of  saying  that  it  was  “ exceedingly 
like  the  original.”  Madame  de  Bihhan  also 
executed  a portrait  in  profile  of  Nelly  Custis, 
in  which  the  graceful,  noble  lines  of  the  child- 
ish head  give  promise  of  the  great  beauty  for 
which  she  was  afterwards  distinguished. 

This  Virginia  home,  with  its  simplicity,  un- 
bounded hospitality,  and  cheerful  industry,  was 
a revelation  to  the  F rench  lady ; and  the  re- 
lations between  the  Washingtons  and  their 
slaves,  unlike  anything  she  had  seen,  seemed 
to  the  enthusiastic  traveller  a survival  of  the 


180 


AFTER  THE  WAR 


patriarchal  dispensation  of  an  older  time.  She 
never  wearied  of  following  Mrs.  Washington 
upon  her  round  of  duties,  marking  with  deep 
interest  the  attention  given  by  her  hostess  to 
domestic  affairs  and  her  care  in  training  and 
directing  her  servants.  A dream  of  Arcadian 
simplicity  and  happiness  it  seemed  to  one  ac- 
customed to  the  artificial  life  of  the  French 
court,  — a dream  soon  to  be  broken  by  the 
official  communication  brought  to  Mount  Ver- 
non, in  April,  1789,  by  Mr.  Charles  Thompson, 
the  venerable  Secretary  of  Congress. 


181 


IX 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 

The  acceptance  of  the  honors  and  duties  of 
the  chief  executive  office  in  the  new  Republic 
necessitated  for  Washington  the  relinquishing 
of  much  that  was  dear  to  him.  The  active, 
useful  life  of  a country  gentleman  was  espe- 
cially suited  to  his  tastes,  with  its  experiments 
in  farming  or  in  rearing  stock,  its  days  spent 
in  the  saddle,  superintending  the  work  of  fenc- 
ing and  ditching  or  the  laying  out  of  roads, 
varied  by  an  occasional  dinner  with  a neighbor 
or  by  the  entertaining  of  guests  at  home,  and 
we  can  well  believe  that  he  spoke  from  his 
heart  when  he  wrote  confidentially  to  General 
Knox  in  April,  1789  : — 

“ My  movements  to  the  chair  of  government 
will  be  accompanied  by  feelings  not  unlike  those 
of  a culprit,  who  is  going  to  the  place  of  his  exe- 
cution; so  unwilling  am  I,  in  the  evening  of  a life 
nearly  consumed  in  public  cares,  to  quit  a peaceful 
abode  for  an  ocean  of  difficulties,  without  that 
competency  of  political  skill,  abilities,  and  inclina- 
tion, which  are  necessary  to  manage  the  helm.” 

182 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


To  Mrs.  Washington  leaving  Mount  Yernon 
at  this  time  meant  the  severing  of  many  cher- 
ished family  ties.  The  two  younger  grand- 
children, Eleanor  Parke  Custis  and  her  brother 
George  Washington,  accompanied  her  to  New 
York,  but  her  elder  granddaughters,  Martha 
and  Elizabeth,  who  were  in  the  habit  of  spend- 
ing weeks  with  her  at  Mount  Yernon,  remained 
with  their  mother  at  Abingdon.  In  a letter 
written  to  a congenial  friend,  Mrs.  Washington 
gives  full  expression  to  her  sentiments  upon 
foregoing  the  tranquil  joys  of  her  home  for  the 
pleasures,  fatigues,  and  excitements  of  public 
life : — ' 

“I  little  thought  when  the  war  was  finished 
that  any  Circumstances  could  possibly  happen 
which  would  call  the  General  into  public  life 
again.  I had  anticipated  that,  from  that  Moment, 
we  should  be  suffered  to  grow  old  together,  in 
solitude  and  tranquillity.  That  was  the  first  and 
dearest  wish  of  my  heart.  I will  not,  however, 
contemplate  with  too  much  regret  disappointments 
that  were  inevitable;  though  his  feelings  and  my 
own  were  in  perfect  unison  with  respect  to  our 
predilections  for  private  life,  yet  I Cannot  blame 
him  for  having  acted  according  to  his  ideas  of 
duty  in  obeying  the  voice  of  his  Country.  It  is 
owing  to  the  Kindness  of  our  numerous  friends,  in 
all  quarters,  that  my  new  and  unwished  for  situa- 
tion is  not,  indeed,  a burden  to  me.  When  I was 
183 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


much  younger  I should  probably  have  enjoyed  the 
innocent  gayeties  of  life  as  much  as  most  persons 
of  my  age;  but  I had  long  since  placed  all  the 
prospects  of  my  future  worldly  happiness  in  the 
still  enjoyments  of  the  fireside  at  Mount  Vernon.” 

Mrs.  Washington  did  not  accompany  her 
husband  upon  his  journey  to  the  capital,  which 
was  really  a triumphal  progress,  but  set  forth 
some  weeks  later  under  the  care  of  his  nephew, 
Robert  Lewis,  and  several  other  gentlemen. 
Before  leaving  home,  the  General  had  asked  his 
mother  to  lend  her  carriage  to  his  wife  during 
his  absence.  The  reply  to  this  request  is  char- 
acteristic of  Mary  Washington,  as  are  all  of 
her  sayings  that  have  come  down  to  us.  A 
very  careful  woman  she  evidently  was,  neither 
openhanded  nor  impulsive.  “ My  grandmother 
was  very  well  disposed  to  lend  the  carriage,” 
wrote  Robert  Lewis,  “ but  on  condition  that  it 
should  be  returned  when  no  further  use  to  my 
aunt.”  1 

1 In  reply  to  a charge,  made  more  than  once,  that  Wash- 
ington was  not  generous  to  his  mother,  it  may  be  well  to  state 
that  this  coach,  for  which  he  paid  £40,  was  one  of  his  gifts 
to  her,  made  at  a time  when  he  evidently  did  not  abound  in 
coaches  himself,  as  his  mother’s  carriage  was  to  serve  Mrs. 
Washington  until  his  own  could  be  returned  from  New  York 
for  her  use.  From  his  diary  we  learn  also  that  Washington 
was  constantly  supplying  his  mother  with  money,  even  when 
he  was  himself  experiencing  the  want  of  it  for  the  first  time, 
184 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


Young  Lewis  lias  left,  in  his  diary,  a fresh 
boyish  account  of  this  journey.  Of  the  depart- 
ure from  Mount  Vernon  he  says,  under  date  of 
May  16th : — 

“After  an  early  dinner  and  making  all  neces- 
sary arrangements  in  which  we  were  greatly  re- 
tarded it  brought  us  to  3 o’clock  in  the  afternoon 
when  we  left  Mt.  V.  The  servants  of  the  house 
and  a number  of  the  field  negroes  made  their 
appearance  to  take  leave  of  their  mistress,  — num- 
bers of  these  poor  wretches  seemed  most  affected, 
my  aunt  equally  so.  — -We  travelled  together  as 
far  as  Alexandria  and  left  my  aunt  at  her  request 
to  proceed  to  Doctr  Stuarts.  Thornton  and  my- 
self put  in  at  Mr.  B — . W — . ” 1 

Another  affecting  parting  scene  the  next 
morning  is  described  by  the  writer,  such  as  he 
“ never  again  wishes  to  be  witness  to  — leav- 
ing the  family  in  tears  — the  children  a-bawl- 
ing — & everything  in  the  most  lamentable 
situation.” 

The  travellers  then  proceeded  to  George- 
town, where  a pair  of  fresh  horses,  proving 
baulky  and  managing  to  break  “ the  swingle- 

and  was  obliged  to  borrow  £10,000  from  Captain  Richard 
Conway,  for  his  own  expenses  before  setting  out  for  the 
capital. 

1 Judge  Bushrod  Washington,  then  practising  law  in 
Alexandria. 


185 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


trees  and  the  lock,  at  the  end  of  the  pole,”  they 
were  detained  for  two  hours  until  Colonel  Van 
Horne  sent  for  others  from  his  farm,  when,  says 
the  youthful  journalist : — 

“We  again  set  out  for  Major  Snowden’s  where 
we  arrived  at  4 o’clock  in  the  evening.  The  gate 
[was]  hung  between  2 trees  which  were  scarcely 
wide  enough  to  admit  it.  We  were  treated  with 
great  hospitality  and  civility  by  the  major  and  his 
wife  who  were  plain  honest  kind  of  folks  and 
made  every  effort  to  make  our  stay  as  agreeable  as 
possible.”1 

“May  19tli.  This  morning  was  lowering  and 
looked  like  rain  — we  were  entreated  to  stay  all 
day  but  to  no  effect  we  had  made  our  arrangements 
& it  was  impossible,  — so  therefore  we  took  leave 
of  our  kind  hostess  — who  insisted  that  we  should 
always  make  that  a stage  whenever  we  travelled 
that  road,  Majr  Snowden  accompanied  us  10  or  a 

1 “Montpelier,  near  Washington,  on  the  Baltimore  and 
Ohio  Railroad,  was  a favorite  resting  place  of  Washington’s 
in  his  trips  from  Mount  Vernon  to  Annapolis,  it  being  situated 
on  the  old  Annapolis  road.  Within  a radius  of  three  miles 
are  the  old  homes  of  Snowden  Hall,  Birmingham  Manor,  and 
Montpelier  House,  all  originally  owned  by  Richard  Snowden, 
whose  father  held  a major’s  commission  under  Oliver  Crom- 
well, and  came  to  Maryland  from  Wales  in  the  17th  Century. 
So  lavish  was  the  hospitality  dispensed  at  Montpelier  House, 
that  less  than  a hundred  sheets  in  the  linen  closet  was  thought 
inadequate  to  meet  the  demand  made  upon  it.  The  room  in 
which  General  Washington  slept  is  still  shown  to  visitors.”  — 
“ Washington  Evening  Star,”  April,  1891. 

186 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


dozen  miles  to  show  a near  way  and  the  best  road. 
In  conversation  I discovered  him  to  he  a man  of  no 
inconsiderable  possession, — having  got  a large 
fortune  by  his  wife,  who  was  an  heiress  to  an 
immense  estate  and  married  him  mearly  for  love, 
he  being  a very  handsome  man.  . . . We  pro- 
ceeded as  far  as  Spurriors  ordinary  and  there 
refreshed  ourselves  and  horses,  — parted  with  our 
kind  conductor,  previous  to  which  I discovered  him 
to  be  a complete  horse  jockey.  — Mrs.  Washington 
shifted  herself  here,  expecting  to  be  met  by  num- 
bers of  gentlemen  out  of  B — re — [Baltimore]  in 
which  time  we  had  everything  in  reddiness,  the 
carriage,  horses  etc.  all  at  the  door  in  waiting. 
Our  journey  commenced  again.” 

At  Hammond’s  ferry,  which  young  Lewis 
describes  as  not  over  forty  feet  wide  but  very 
deep,  he  says : — 

“ We  put  the  coach  on  board  the  boat,  — leaving 
the  horses  and  servants  behind,  — and  embarked 
The  wind  by  this  time  had  risen  almost  to  a storm 
— the  waves  running  very  high,  the  boat  took  in 
a great  deal  of  water  which  frightened  my  aunt  a 
good  deal;  — however  by  the  exertion  of  our  ferry- 
men with  the  assistance  of  Col.  V.  H.  and  myself 
we  reached  the  opposite  shore,  where  we  were  met 
by  several  gentlemen  from  B — [Baltimore]  who 
had  come  out  for  the  purpose  of  escorting  Mrs. 
W — into  the  town.  The  party  consisted  of  Doct 
187 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


McH — 1 Capt  B — ■ Col0  B — [Bullard]  and  one 
or  two  other  gentlemen  whose  names  I do  not  rec" 
ollect  — The  servants,  horses,  baggage  etc.  was 
soon  over  when,  we  formed  ourselves  in  line  of 
march  and  moved  slowly  on  until  we  arrived  at 
Mrs.  Carrolls  where  we  had  been  invited  by  a mes- 
senger who  met  us  on  the  road  for  the  purpose.2 
Observing  the  house  to  be  much  crowded  the  gen- 
tlemen proposed  we  should  go  into  town  and  return 
in  the  evening  to  accompany  Mrs.  W — to  Doctr 
McH — as  she  had  promised  to  take  tea  and  spend 
the  evening  with  Mrs.  McH — Mrs.  Carroll  ex- 
pected Mrs.  W — . had  made  considerable  prepara- 
tion, — we  found  a large  bowl  of  salubrious  ice 
punch  with  fruits  etc.,  which  had  been  plucked 
from  the  trees  in  a green  house,  lying  on  the  tables 
iu  great  abundance ; — these  after  riding  twenty- 
five  or  thirty  miles  without  eating  or  drinking  was 
no  unwelcome  luxuries,  however,  Mrs.  Carroll 
could  not  complain  that  we  had  not  done  her  punch 
honor,  for  in  the  course  of  one  quarter  of  an  hour 
(the  time  we  tarried)  the  bowl  which  held  upwards 
of  two  gallons  was  entirely  consumed  to  the  no 

1 Probably  Hr.  James  McHenry,  who  had  held  many  po- 
sitions of  trust  during  the  Revolution,  and  was  later  appointed 
Secretary  of  War  to  succeed  Timothy  Pickering. 

2 This  fine  old  Baltimore  residence  of  Charles  Carroll’s, 
located  on  East  Lombard  Street,  is  still  standing,  the  broad 
spiral  stairway  and  spacious  hall  recalling  its  former  gran- 
deur. Some  Hebrew  letters  over  the  handsome  doorway 
announce  that  the  services  of  the  synagogue  are  held  in  one 
of  the  large  rooms,  while  the  remainder  have  become  the 
cheap  lodgings  of  a squalid  population. 

188 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


little  satisfaction  of  us  all.  We  then  made  our 
conges  and  departed,  the  gentlemen  to  their  respec- 
tive homes,  — myself  with  Dr.  McHenry,  who  in- 
vited me  very  politely  to  take  a family  dinner 
with  him.” 

In  the  evening  there  was  a display  of  fire- 
works, followed  by  a reception  at  Dr.  McHenry’s, 
where  a number  of  ladies  were  assembled  to  pay 
their  respects  to  Mrs.  Washington.  Unhappily 
the  young  journalist  finds  the  names  of  these 
fair  dames  too  numerous  to  insert,  although  he 
says  that  they  were  “ the  handsomest  assort- 
ment of  women  that  I had  ever  seen,”  the 
sincerity  of  which  admiration  he  proved  by 
himself  falling  a victim  to  the  charms  of  one 
of  the  company.  Of  this  lady  he  says  with 
refreshing  naivete  : — 

“I  attached  myself  entirely  to  a Miss  Spear  who 
was  remarkably  talkative  & seemed  to  be  pretty 
well  acquainted  with  my  friend  Robert  Mercer, 
which  afforded  considerable  fund  of  conversation, 

— the  evening  concluded  with  an  elegant  enter- 
tainment and  fire  works  which  were  judiciously 
managed  by  a brother  of  Doctt  MCH — s.  The 
company  did  not  retire  until  after  eleven  o’clock, 

— I saw  Miss  Spear  home  who  appeared  much 
pleased  with  my  attentions;  — & insisted  that  I 
would  never  go  through  Baltimore  without  calling 
on  her;  — she  intreated  me  to  come  in,  but  it  being 

1S9 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


late;  & a young  gentleman  in  company  with  me 
I thought  it  prudent  to  return  with  him.  ...  I 
now  made  haste  hack  to  the  Doc™  expecting  to  he 
locked  out,  hut  was  mistaken  as  I found  the  Doc- 
seated  at  table  with  some  gentlemen  drinking 
wine.” 

Young  Lewis  was  invited  to  join  the  party ; 
but  sleep  being  more  congenial  to  his  feelings 
than  further  conviviality,  he  asked  to  be  shown 
to  his  room.  Nor  were  the  weary  travellers 
allowed  to  rest  after  they  had  retired  for  the 
night,  as  poor  Lewis  relates  that  while  he  was 
struggling  to  sleep,  and  to  think  of  Miss  Spear 
at  the  same  time,  a serenade  began  which 
lasted  until  two  o’clock  in  the  morning.  This 
left  but  a short  night  for  repose,  as  live  was 
the  hour  for  rising  in  order  to  leave  Balti- 
more betimes,  and  thus  avoid  any  further  cele- 
brations. 

At  Chester  Mrs.  Washington  was  met  by 
the  First  Troop  of  Philadelphia  City  Cavalry 
under  Captain  Miles,  by  another  troop  of  horse 
under  Captain  Bingham,  and  by  a number  of 
distinguished  civilians,  among  them  Thomas 
Mifflin,  Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the 
Speaker  of  the  Assembly.  The  troops  formed 
in  two  columns  and  received  Mrs.  Washington 
with  all  the  honors  due  the  wife  of  the  great 
General.  Many  of  those  who  surrounded  her 
iyo 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


had  seen  service  during  the  long  war,  and 
looking  upon  her  kindly  face  again  they  re- 
called, with  grateful  emotion,  the  cheer  and 
helpfulness  that  she  had  brought  into  camp 
during  the  darkest  days  of  the  Revolution. 

At  Darby,  seven  miles  from  Philadelphia, 
“ this  truly  respectable  personage,”  as  she  is 
called  by  one  of  the  journalists  of  the  day,  was 
met  by  a number  of  ladies  in  carriages,  who 
joined  the  military  escort  and  accompanied  her 
to  Gray’s  Ferry,  where  the  travellers  partook 
of  a collation  at  an  inn  which  was  much  re- 
sorted to  by  gay  parties  from  Philadelphia. 
Here  Mrs.  Washington  was  met  by  her  de- 
voted and  congenial  friend,  Mrs.  Robert 
Morris,  who  gave  Washington  Custis  a seat 
in  her  carriage,  while  she  took  a place  beside 
Mrs.  Washington  and  conducted  her  to  her 
own  home  on  High  Street,  amid  discharges  of 
artillery  and  enthusiastic  rejoicings  of  the 
populace.  When  she  reached  the  Morris  house, 
Mrs.  Washington  made  the  only  public  address 
of  which  there  is  any  record.  She  arose,  and 
standing  in  the  carriage,  thanked  the  troops 
which  had  escorted  her,  and  the  citizens  also, 
in  a few  gracious  words.  Two  days  later, 
when  the  same  military  escort  was  in  read- 
iness to  wait  upon  her  as  far  as  Trenton,  Mrs. 
Washington,  with  the  thoughtful  consideration 

191 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


for  the  comfort  of  those  about  her  which  was 
one  of  her  strongly  marked  characteristics, 
begged  them,  when  a few  miles  from  Philadel- 
phia, to  return  home,  as  the  weather  appeared 
threatening.  Mrs.  Morris  and  one  of  her 
daughters  accompanied  Mrs.  Washington  upon 
her  journey  to  New  York.  The  welcome, 
which  met  her  as  she  passed  through  New 
Jersey,  was  only  second  to  that  which  had 
been  accorded  the  President  a few  weeks 
earlier. 

At  Trenton,  where  the  travellers  passed  the 
night,  they  were  entertained  by  Governor 
Livingston  at  Liberty  Hall,  his  residence, 
which  was  a short  distance  from  the  town. 
His  Excellency  the  President,  Mr.  Morris,  and 
other  distinguished  gentlemen,  who  had  set 
forth  from  New  York  at  five  o’clock  in  the 
morning,  met  the  ladies  at  Elizabethtown 
Point.  From  this  place  the  entire  party  was 
conducted  over  the  bay  in  “ the  President’s 
Barge,  rowed  by  13  eminent  pilots,  in  a hand- 
some white  dress.”  On  passing  the  Bat- 
tery a salute  of  thirteen  heavy  guns  was 
fired,  and  on  landing  at  Peck’s  Slip  Mrs. 
Washington  was  welcomed  by  crowds  of  citi- 
zens who  had  assembled  to  testify  their  joy 
upon  this  happy  occasion,  while  prolonged 
cheers,  and  shouts  of  “ Long  live  President 

192 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


Washington  and  God  bless  Lady  Washing- 
ton ” were  heard  on  all  sides. 

The  President,  upon  his  arrival  in  New  York, 
had  declined  all  invitations  to  stop  at  Governor 
Clinton’s,  at  the  Hon.  John  Jay’s,  or  at  any 
other  private  house ; consequently  a suitable 
residence  was  at  once  secured,  and  put  in  order 
before  Mrs.  Washington’s  arrival.  This  house, 
at  the  corner  of  Pearl  and  Cherry  streets,  the 
former  residence  of  Walter  Franklin,  and  at 
this  time  the  property  of  his  widow,  who  had 
married  Mr.  Samuel  Osgood,  was  used  by  the 
Washingtons  during  the  first  year  of  their 
official  life  in  New  York.1  The  following 
spring  a more  commodious  house  was  taken, 
on  Broadway,  near  Bowling  Green,  called 
McComb’s  new  house.2  The  Cherry  Street 
residence,  although  less  spacious  than  the 
house  on  Broadway,  and  with  ceilings  so  low 

1 This  old  house  on  Pearl,  or  Queen  Street,  as  it  was  first 
named,  was  taken  down  about  1836.  A receipt  for  the  rent, 
signed  by  Samuel  Osgood,  shows  that  the  modest  sum  of 
-£'J  10s.  was  paid  for  the  presidential  mansion.  Dr.  Manasseh 
Cutler  records  as  a noteworthy  fact  that  Queen  Street  was 
a mile  in  length,  with  buildings  four  to  six  stories  high,  and 
that  it  was  sufficiently  wide  for  three  persons  to  walk  abreast. 

2 This  house,  which  had  been  the  residence  of  the  Prench 
ambassador,  De  Moustier,  was  later  known  as  the  Mansion 
House  and  Bunker’s  Hotel.  The  Mansion  House,  when  kept 
by  Bunker,  was  the  leading  hotel  of  New  York,  says  an  old 
resident  who  recalls  its  palmy  days,  and  continued  so  until  the 
Astor  House  was  built. 

13 


193 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


that  the  ostrich  feathers  in  the  head-dress  of 
stately  Miss  McEvers  took  fire  from  the  chan- 
delier, at  one  of  Mrs.  Washington’s  receptions, 
was  considered  one  of  the  handsomest  houses 
in  the  town,  and  is  spoken  of  in  a contem- 
poraneous letter  as  “ the  Palace.” 

Although  the  inauguration  ceremonies  and 
festivities  were  well  over  when  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton reached  New  York,  and  the  house  fur- 
nished, there  remained  for  her  and  her  husband 
the  difficult  task  of  arranging  the  social  func- 
tions of  the  executive  mansion.  While  those 
about  them  were  discussing  the  question  of  the 
title  to  be  used  in  addressing  the  new  Presi- 
dent, whether  it  should  be  His  Highness,  His 
Serene  Highness,  His  Highmightiness,  or 
simply  His  Excellency,  and  whether  the  re- 
ceptions of  the  President  and  his  wife  should 
be  surrounded  by  the  ceremony  of  a court 
or  be  characterized  by  the  simplicity  suited  to 
a republic,  the  W'ashingtons  quietly  and  un- 
ostentatiously mapped  out  their  social  duties 
according  to  their  own  ideas  of  propriety. 
That  the  two  persons  who  were  destined  to 
give  form  and  balance  to  the  political  and 
social  functions  of  the  republic  should  have 
come  from  the  most  aristocratic  of  the  Colo- 
nies, and  from  its  most  refined  and  exclusive 
circle,  must  be  looked  upon  as  something  more 

194 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


than  a happy  accident,  unless  we  count  birth, 
breeding,  early  surroundings,  and  all  the  cir- 
cumstances that  go  to  form  character,  simply 
accidents.  An  executive  mansion  presided 
over  by  a man  and  woman  who  combined  with 
the  most  ardent  patriotism  a dignity,  ele- 
gance, and  moderation  that  would  have  graced 
the  court  of  any  Old  World  sovereign,  saved  the 
social  functions  of  the  new  nation  from  the 
crudeness  and  bald  simplicity  of  extreme  repub- 
licanism, as  well  as  from  the  luxury  and 
excess  that  often  mark  the  sudden  elevation 
to  power  and  place  of  those  who  have  spent 
their  early  years  in  obscurity. 

Washington,  to  whom  nothing  connected 
with  his  office  seemed  small  or  unimportant, 
and  who  realized  that  this  was  naturally  a 
period  for  the  establishment  of  precedents, 
gave  much  time  and  thought  to  the  proper 
adjustment  of  social  as  well  as  of  political  eti- 
quette; in  all  of  which  arrangements  he  was 
assisted  by  his  former  aide-de-camp,  Colonel 
Humphreys,  who  had  recently  been  Secretary 
of  Legation  in  Paris.  Mrs.  Washington  warmly 
seconded  her  husband’s  efforts  to  combine 
republican  simplicity  with  the  form  and  cere- 
mony befitting  the  dinners,  levees,  and  recep- 
tions of  the  Chief  Executive.  Thus,  although 
the  President  simply  bowed  to  each  guest  as 

195 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


he  was  introduced  to  him  at  his  Tuesday  after- 
noon levees,  making  it  very  evident  that  the 
more  familiar  handshake  was  to  be  omitted, 
at  his  wife’s  Friday  evening  receptions  he 
chose  to  be  considered  simply  as  “ a private 
gentleman,”  mingling  with  the  company  and 
entering  into  conversation  according  to  his 
own  inclination.  Upon  these  occasions  he  is 
described  as  wearing  a fancy  colored  coat 
and  waistcoat,  and  black  small-clothes,  without 
hat  or  sword,  while  at  his  own  levees  he  ap- 
peared in  “ a black  velvet  coat  and  breeches, 
his  hair  in  full  dress  powdered  and  gathered 
behind  in  a silk  bag  ; yellow  gloves  and  hold- 
ing a cocked  hat  with  a cockade  on  it,  and  the 
edge  adorned  with  a black  feather  about  an 
inch  deep.  He  wore  knee  and  shoe  buckles, 
and  a long  sword  with  a finely  wrought  and 
polished  steel  hilt ; the  coat  worn  over  the 
blade,  the  scabbard  of  polished  leather.” 

Mrs.  Washington  now  laid  aside  the  home- 
spun  garments  in  which  the  citizens  of  Phila- 
delphia and  Baltimore  had  been  proud  to 
welcome  her,  and  appeared  in  silk,  satin,  velvet, 
and  lace,  as  became  the  wife  of  the  President. 
She  was  fifty-seven  years  of  age  when  she  came 
to  New  York,  and  although  the  portrait  by 
Robert  Edge  Pine  was  painted  only  a short 
time  before,  it  is  so  much  less  attractive  than 

196 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


that  executed  by  Stuart,  ten  years  later,  that 
we  like  best  to  think  of  “ the  first  lady  in  the 
land  ” noble  and  dignified  as  she  appears  in 
this  portrait,  which  makes  us  realize  that  she 
possessed  a beauty  in  advanced  years  quite  dif- 
ferent from  that  of  her  girlhood,  but  almost 
as  charming  in  its  own  way. 

More  than  one  description  has  come  down  to 
us  of  Lady  Washington’s  Friday  evening  recep- 
tions, with  their  plum-cake,  tea,  coffee,  and 
pleasant  intercourse,  — all  ending  at  the  early 
hour  of  nine.  There  was  nothing  excessive  in 
the  gayety  of  these  drawing-rooms,  and  they 
may  even  have  been  a trifle  dull ; but  the  host- 
ess wisely  set  the  fashion  of  early  hours,  rising 
about  nine  o’clock,  and  saying,  with  a gracious- 
ness and  dignity  that  well  became  her,  “ The 
General  always  retires  at  nine,  and  I usually 
precede  him.”  The  short  evening  proved  to 
be  like  the  small  caviare  sandwiches  that  arc 
now  handed  around  to  whet  the  appetite,  mak- 
ing the  guests  feel  like  coming  again  ; for  these 
receptions  were  largely  attended  by  the  old 
Knickerbocker  and  Patroon  families,  — the  Vons 
and  the  Vans, — as  well  as  by  the  wives  and 
daughters  of  all  government  officials  resident 
at  the  capital.  The  President  sometimes  re- 
cords, “ A great  number  of  visitors  (gentlemen 
and  ladies)  this  evening  to  Mrs.  Washington,” 

197 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


or,  “ The  visitors  tliis  evening  to  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington were  numerous  and  respectable.”  Can 
we  imagine  them  otherwise  than  eminently 
respectable,  those  stately  dames  and  courtly 
cavaliers  ? 

At  the  President’s  levees  the  guests  were 
introduced  by  one  of  the  secretaries,  Mr.  Tobias 
Lear  or  Major  William  Jackson,  or  some  per- 
sonal friend,  who  was  expected  to  pronounce 
the  name  distinctly.  Later,  when  the  doors 
were  closed  and  the  circle  formed  for  the  day, 
the  President,  who  possessed  the  royal  trait  of 
remembering  faces  and  associating  the  name 
with  the  face,  began  at  the  right  hand  and 
passed  from  one  guest  to  another,  calling  every 
person  by  name,  and  saying  a few  words  to 
each  one.  In  these  days  of  hurried  official  re- 
ceptions and  great  crushes,  such  a levee  as  this 
seems  dignified  and  elegant,  and  yet  sociable 
enough  to  be  removed  from  any  imputation  of 
the  monarchical  form,  towards  which  some  of 
Lis  detractors  accused  Washington  of  tending. 

Physically  as  well  as  mentally  weary  Mrs. 
Washington  must  often  have  been  during  the 
first  weeks  of  her  residence  in  New  York. 
The  day  after  her  arrival,  before  she  had  had 
time  to  recover  from  her  long  journey,  or  to 
make  herself  at  home  in  her  own  house,  a num- 
ber of  visitors  called  upon  her.  Among  the 

198 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


ladies  who  hastened  to  pay  their  respects  to 
the  wife  of  the  President  were  Mrs.  George 
Clinton,  wife  of  the  Governor  of  New  York ; 
Lady  Sterling  and  her  two  daughters,  Lady 
Mary  Watts  and  Lady  Kitty  Duer ; Mrs.  Dal- 
ton and  Mrs.  Langdon,  wives  of  senators  from 
New  England ; Mrs.  M'Comb,  the  Marchioness 
de  Brehan ; Lady  Temple,  the  American  wife 
of  the  British  Minister ; Mrs.  Lynch,  and  Mrs. 
Elbridge  Gerry,  the  beautiful  wife  of  the  sena- 
tor from  Massachusetts.  Mr.  William  Maclay, 
senator  from  Pennsylvania,  recorded  in  his 
diary : “ The  gentlemen  of  Congress  have,  it 
seems,  called  on  Mrs.  Washington  and  all  the 
Congressional  ladies.  Speaker  Wynkoop  and 
self  called  on  Mrs.  Morris  half  after  ten.  Not 
at  home.  Left  our  cards.  Being  in  the  lady 
way,  we  called  to  see  Mrs.  Langdon  and  Mrs. 
Dalton.” 

After  this  informal  reception  there  was  a 
dinner,  which,  if  it  was  enfamille  and  the  least 
showy  that  Mr.  Wingate  ever  saw  at  the  Presi- 
dent’s, was  attended  by  a number  of  officials, 
among  them  the  Governor  of  the  State,  the 
Ministers  of  France  and  Spain,  and  the  Vice- 
President. 

In  the  absence  of  Mrs.  Washington,  the  Pres- 
ident had  been  assisted  in  arranging  his  house- 
hold on  Cherry  Street  bv  bis  secretaries  and  by 

199 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


his  invaluable  steward,  Samuel  Fraunces,  who 
had  formerly  kept  a public  house  in  New  York. 
Under  Fraunces  served  the  redoubtable  Her- 
cules, as  chief  cook.  “ When,”  says  Mr.  G.  W. 
P.  Custis,  “ Fraunces  in  snow  white  apron,  silk 
shirt  and  stockings  and  hair  in  full  powder, 
placed  the  first  dish  on  the  table,  the  clock 
being  on  the  stroke  of  four,  ‘ the  labors  of  Her- 
cules ceased.’  ” The  well-known  story  of  the 
early  shad  which  Fraunces  provided  for  the 
Presidential  table,  being  aware  of  Washington’s 
partiality  for  fish,  is  vouched  for  by  Mr.  Custis, 
who,  as  a child  of  eight  or  ten,  may  have  re- 
membered the  stirring  scene.  The  President 
asked  the  price  of  the  delicacy,  and  when  Fraun- 
ces stammered  out,  “Three  dollars,”  Washington 
thundered  forth,  “ Take  it  away,  take  it  away, 
sir ; it  shall  never  be  said  that  my  table  sets 
such  an  example  of  luxury  and  extravagance.” 

There  was  always  a steward,  to  market,  en- 
gage servants,  and  superintend  the  household 
during  the  Washingtons’  official  residence  in 
New  York  and  Philadelphia;  and  although  this 
functionary  relieved  the  President  and  Mrs. 
Washington  from  the  burden  of  domestic  af- 
fairs, two  persons  of  such  strongly  marked  char- 
acter could  not  fail  to  impress  their  own 
individuality  upon  their  home.  This  is  notice- 
able in  the  simplicity  of  their  life  when  no 

2 CO 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


official  function  was  in  order,  their  family  din- 
ners, their  early  hours,  and  their  avoidance  of 
social  engagements  on  Sunday,  a day  which  was 
always  spent  by  the  President  at  home  with 
Mrs.  Washington  and  the  children,  after  they 
had  attended  church  together.  The  usual  record 
in  the  President’s  diary  is  that  he  went  to  St. 
Paul’s  Chapel  or  Trinity  Church  in  the  forenoon, 
and  was  at  home  writing  private  letters  in  the 
afternoon.  Mrs.  Washington  was  not  only  an 
attendant  upon  the  services  of  the  Church  of 
England,  but  was  a regular  and  devout  com- 
municant. It  has  been  stated  that  General 
Washington  was  not  a communicant  of  the 
Church,  which  idea  probably  arose  from  the 
fact  that  he  did  not  commune  regularly  during 
his  life  in  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  As  a 
proof  that  he  was  in  the  full  communion  of  his 
church,  such  authorities  and  eye-witnesses  have 
been  cited  as  the  Rev.  Lee  Massey,  Dr.  Johnes, 
of  Morristown,  General  Robert  Porterfield,  of 
Augusta  County,  Virginia,  and  Major  Popham.1 

1 The  pew  used  by  the  Washington  family  in  St.  Paul’s 
Church  was  next  to  that  of  Chief  Justice  Morris.  Major 
Popham  wrote,  many  years  later,  to  Mrs.  Jane  Washington : 
“I  constantly  sat  in  Judge  Morris’s  pew,  and  I am  as  confi- 
dent as  a memory  now  labouring  under  the  pressure  of  four- 
score years  and  seven  can  make  me,  that  the  President  had 
more  than  once  — I believe  I may  say  often  — attended  at  the 
sacramental  table,  at  which  I had  the  privilege  and  happiness 
201 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


The  Vice-President,  John  Adams,  and  his 
wife  were  established  at  Richmond  Hill,  which 
Mrs.  Adams  described  most  enthusiastically 
in  a letter  to  Thomas  Brand-Hollis,  telling  him 
of  the  rural  beauty  of  the  grounds,  their  fine 
situation  above  the  Hudson,  the  richness  of  the 
foliage  and  shrubbery,  and  the  serenade  which 
the  numerous  birds  gave  her  each  morning.1 
Mrs.  Washington  would  doubtless  have  been 
happier  and  more  comfortable  in  such  a home 
as  this  than  in  the  heart  of  the  town  during 
the  summer  months. 

For  some  reason,  whether  from  ill  health  or 
homesickness,  or  in  consequence  of  the  exac- 
tions of  official  life,  she  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  happy  during  the  early  part  of  her  stay  in 
New  York.  This  fact  can  only  be  gathered 
from  Mrs.  Washington’s  home  letters,  as  her 
thorough  breeding  enabled  her  to  conceal  her 
distaste  for  the  restraints  of  her  life,  and  to 

to  kneel  with  him.  And  I am  aided  in  associations  by  my 
elder  daughter,  who  distinctly  recollects  her  grandmamma  — 
Mrs.  Morris  — often  mention  that  fact  with  great  pleasure.” 

1 This  house  at  Richmond  Hill, Washington’s  Headquarters 
in  1776,  was  the  scene  of  the  Hickey  plot.  It  was  situated 
at  the  corner  of  Yarrick  and  Charlton  Streets,  and  was  also 
called  the  Mortier  House,  having  been  built  by  Abraham  Mor- 
tier,  paymaster  in  the  British  army,  an  old  gentleman  whose 
cheerful  disposition  and  extraordinary  leanness  suggested  a 
bon  mot  to  some  wit  of  the  day  apropos  of  the  play  “Laugh 
and  Grow  Fat,”  then  being  given  in  New  York.  History  of 
New  York,  by  Martha  J.  Lamb.  vol.  ii.  437. 

202 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


perform  her  duties  as  hostess  with  unfailing 
courtesy.  To  Mrs.  James  YvT arren  she  wrote  at 
length  upon  the  subject ; and  after  dwelling 
upon  her  own  and  the  General’s  deep  apprecia- 
tion of  daily  recurring  proofs  of  the  nation’s 
confidence  in  and  devotion  to  him,  she  added  : 

“ The  consciousness  of  having  attempted  to  do 
all  the  good  in  his  power,  and  the  pleasure  of  find- 
ing his  fellow-citizens  so  well  satisfied  with  the 
disinterestedness  of  his  conduct,  will  doubtless  be 
some  compensation  for  the  great  Sacrifices  which 
I know  he  has  made.  . . . With  respect  to  myself, 
I sometimes  think  the  arrangement  is  not  quite  as 
it  ought  to  have  been,  that  I,  who  had  much  rather 
be  at  home,  should  occupy  a place  with  which  a 
great  many  younger  and  gayer  women  would  be 
extremely  pleased.  As  my  grandchildren  and 
domestic  connections  make  up  a great  portion  of 
the  felicity  which  I looked  for  in  this  world,  I 
shall  hardly  be  able  to  find  any  substitute  that 
will  indemnify  me  for  the  loss  of  such  endearing 
society.  I do  not  say  this  because  I feel  dissat- 
isfied with  my  present  station,  for  everybody  and 
everything  conspire  to  make  me  as  content  as 
possible  in  it ; yet  I have  learned  too  much  of  the 
vanity  of  human  affairs  to  expect  felicity  from  the 
scenes  of  public  life. 

“I  am  still  determined  to  be  cheerful  and  happy 
in  whatever  situation  I may  be,  for  I have  also 
learned  from  experience  that  the  greater  part  of 
203 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


our  happiness  or  misery  depends  on  our  disposi- 
tions and  not  on  our  circumstances.  We  carry  the 
seeds  of  the  one  or  the  other  about  with  us  in  our 
minds  wherever  we  go. 

“ I have  two  of  my  grandchildren  with  me,  who 
enjoy  advantages,  in  point  of  education,  and  who, 
I trust,  by  the  goodness  of  Providence,  will  be  a 
great  blessing  to  me.” 

This  letter,  which  was  either  dictated  by  Mrs. 
Washington  or  carefully  edited  before  it  ap- 
peared in  print,  as  it  contains  none  of  the 
homely  characteristic  phrases  to  be  found  in 
her  other  letters,  doubtless  represents  truly 
and  fairly  her  feelings  with  regard  to  the  life 
opening  before  her.  Duty  rather  than  inclina- 
tion was  its  inspiring  motive.  To  do  honor  to 
the  high  position  occupied  by  her  husband,  to 
exact  a proper  respect  toward  herself  as  his 
wife,  caused  this  simple-hearted  and  retiring- 
woman  to  give  considerable  time  and  thought 
to  forms  and  ceremonies. 

Some  expressions  in  another  letter,  written 
to  her  “ dear  Fanny,”  Mrs.  George  Augustine 
Washington,  soon  after  the  President’s  serious 
illness,  when  he  had  left  New  York  to  make 
his  Eastern  tour,  have  been  quoted  to  prove 
that  Mrs.  Washington  was  discontented  and 
complaining  at  this  time.  The  simple  little 
letter,  full  of  messages  to  her  Virginia  rela- 

204 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


tives,  certainly  has  in  it  a note  of  homesick- 
ness, which  does  not  seem  strange  when  we 
realize  that  this  country -bred  woman  was  spend- 
ing her  first  summer  in  town,  and  while  her 
husband  was  away  from  her  must  often  have 
been  lonely  in  the  midst  of  many  people. 

New  York,  October  the  22nd  1789. 1 

My  Dear  Fanny,  — I have  by  Mrs.  Sims  sent 
for  a watch  it  is  one  of  the  cargoe  that  I have  so 
often  mentioned  to  you,  that  was  expected,  I hope 
is  such  a one  as  will  please  you  — it  is  of  the 
newest  fashion,  if  that  has  any  influence  on  your 
taste.  The  chain  is  of  Mr.  Lear’s  choosing  and 
such  as  Mrs.  Adams  the  vice  President’s  Lady  and 
those  in  the  polite  circle  wares  and  will  last  as 
long  as  the  fashion  — and  by  that  time  you  can  get 
another  of  a fashionable  kind  — I send  to  dear 
Maria  a piece  of  chintz  to  make  her  frock  — the 
piece  of  muslin  I hope  is  long  enough  for  an  apron 
for  you,  and  in  exchange  for  it,  I beg  you  will 
give  me  the  worked  muslin  apron  you  have  like 
my  gown  that  I made  just  before  I left  home 
of  worked  muslin  as  I wish  to  make  a petti- 
coat of  the  two  aprons,  — for  my  gown  — Mrs. 
Sims  will  give  you  a better  account  of  the 
fashions  than  I cau.  I live  a very  dull  life  here 
and  know  nothing  that  passes  in  the  town  — I 

1 From  original  in  the  Ettiug  Collection  at  the  Historical 
Society  of  Pennsylvania. 


205 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


never  goo  to  any  publick  place  — indeed  I think  I 
am  more  like  a state  prisoner  than  anything  else, 
there  is  certain  bounds  set  for  me  which  I must  not 
depart  from  — and  as  I cannot  doe  as  I like  I am 
obstinate  and  stay  at  home  a great  deal. 

The  President  set  out  this  day  week  on  a tour 
to  the  eastward,  Mr.  Lear  and  Major  Jackson  at- 
tended him.  My  dear  children  has  very  had  colds 
hut  thank  god  they  are  getting  better.  My  love 
and  good  wishes  attend  you  and  all  with  you. 
Pemember  me  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  L.  W.  How  is  the 
poor  child  — kiss  Maria  I send  her  two  little  hand- 
kerchiefs to  wipe  her  nose. 

Adieu 

I am  my  dear  Fanny  yours  most  affectionately 

M Washington 

A state  dinner  was  given  by  the  President 
and  Mrs.  Washington  at  least  once  a week. 
Senator  Maelay  has  described  some  of  these 
dinners  at  length,  telling  of  one  when,  with  a 
number  of  courses  before  him,  he  was  so  ab- 
stemious that  he  refused  a pudding  which  the 
host  was  himself  dispensing,  because  he  had 
already  signified  that  he  had  finished  his  din- 
ner. Consistency  did  not  prevent  his  accepting 
an  offer  to  drink  a glass  of  wine  with  His  Excel- 
lency, especially  as,  according  to  Mr.  Maclay’s 
observation,  he  was  the  only  person  in  the  com- 
pany whom  his  host  so  honored.  The  ceremony 
of  drinking  healths  seems  to  have  disturbed  the 
206 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


equanimity  of  the  Pennsylvania  senator,  as  he 
tells  of  his  first  experience  in  this  exercise  with 
engaging  artlessness.  After  speaking  of  the 
elegance  of  the  dinner  and  its  oppressive  solem- 
nity, he  says : — 

“Then  the  President,  filling  a glass  of  wine, 
with  great  formality  drank  to  the  health  of  every 
individual  by  name  round  the  table.  Everybody 
imitated  him,  charged  glasses,  and  such  a buzz  of 
‘ health,  sir,  ’ and  ‘ health,  madam,  ’ and  ‘ Thank 
you,  sir,’  and  ‘Thank  you,  madam,’  never  had  I 
heard  before.  Indeed,  I had  liked  to  have  been 
thrown  out  in  the  hurry;  but  I got  a little  wine  in 
my  glass,  and  passed  the  ceremony.  The  ladies  sat 
a good  while,  and  the  bottles  passed  about;  but 
there  was  a dead  silence  almost.  Mrs.  Washington 
at  last  withdrew  with  the  ladies.” 

At  another  dinner,  when  Mrs.  Robert  Morris 
was  seated  beside  the  President,  she  found  the 
cream  in  the  trifle  so  bad  that  she  warned  the 
President  not  to  eat  it ; but  afterwards  told 
Mr.  Maclay,  with  great  glee,  that  “ Mrs.  Wash- 
ington ate  a whole  heap  of  it,”  remarking  at  the 
same  time  that  it  was  almost  impossible  to  get 
an  adequate  supply  of  fresh  cream  in  New  York. 
The  picture  of  these  two  good  Pennsylvanians 
discussing  the  rural  products  of  New  York  to 
their  disadvantage  savors  of  latter-day  com- 
parisons between  the  two  great  cities, — not  that 

207 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Mr.  Maclay  was  always  an  ardent  admirer  of 
his  own  chief  town,  as  he  soundly  berated  it  at 
times.  At  this  dinner  he  describes  Mrs.  Morris 
as  lively  and  talkative,  telling  many  stories, 
which,  he  says,  “ she  did  gracefully  enough, 
this  being  a gayer  place,  and  she  being  here 
considered  the  second  female  character  at 
court.” 

Mr.  Maclay  speaks  of  the  President  and  Mrs. 
Washington  as  seated  at  table  “opposite  each 
other  in  the  middle  of  the  table ; the  two  secre- 
taries one  at  each  end.”  Mr.  Archibald  Rob- 
ertson, the  painter,  who  dined  with  the  family, 
says  that  at  their  informal  dinners  His  Excel- 
lency and  Mrs.  Washington  were  seated  side 
by  side.  Mr.  Robertson  says  that  while  the 
President  was  sitting  to  him  for  his  portrait  he 
left  no  means  untried  to  place  him,  the  painter, 
at  his  ease,  introducing  him  to  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton, whose  “ easy  polished  and  familiar  gayety 
and  ceaseless  cheerfulness”  contributed  largely 
to  the  desired  result,  and  also  secured  a pleas- 
ant expression  for  the  distinguished  sitter.  Mr. 
William  S.  Johnston,  in  writing  of  a dinner  at 
the  President’s,  also  speaks  of  the  cheerful, 
homelike  atmosphere  which  Mrs.  Washington 
spread  about  her : — 

“I  have  just  left  the  President’s,  where  I had 
the  pleasure  of  dining  with  almost  every  member 
208 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


of  the  Senate.  "We  had  some  excellent  champagne; 
and,  after  it,  I had  the  honor  of  drinking  coffee 
with  his  Lady,  a most  amiable  woman.  If  I live 
much  longer,  I believe  I shall  become  reconciled  to 
the  company  of  old  women,  for  her  sake,  a circum- 
stance which  I once  thought  impossible.  I have 
found  them  generally  so  censorious,  and  envious, 
that  I could  never  bear  their  company.  This, 
among  other  reasons,  made  me  marry  a woman 
much  younger  than  myself,  lest  I should  hate  her 
when  she  grew  old;  but  I now  really  believe  there 
are  some  good  old  women.” 

Mrs.  Washington  certainly  had  reason  to  be 
pleased  with  this  conversion  in  the  senatorial 
circle,  if  she  knew  of  it.  During  her  residence 
in  New  York  she  had  the  pleasure  of  welcom- 
ing to  her  home  such  old  army  friends  as  Mrs. 
Knox  and  Mrs.  Greene,  who  often  dined  with 
her  and  joined  the  President’s  theatre  parties. 
When  ladies  called  upon  Mrs.  Washington  it 
was  the  duty  of  Mr.  Lear,  or  one  of  the  other 
secretaries,  to  hand  them  to  their  carriages ; 
but  when  Mrs.  Montgomery  and  Mrs.  Greene 
called,  the  President  always  honored  these  two 
widows  of  his  brave  comrades  in  arms  by 
handing  them  to  their  carriages  himself. 

In  the  midst  of  wearisome  political  and 
social  functions,  it  is  pleasant  to  read,  in  the 
General’s  New  York  diary,  of  frequent  drives 

14  209 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


into  the  country  with  Mrs.  Washington  and  the 
children,  and  of  informal  dinners  at  Captain 
Marriner’s  tavern  in  Harlem  with  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington, Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Adams,  their  daugh- 
ter and  son-in-law,  Mrs.  William  Smith  and  her 
husband,  Governor  Clinton,  Major  Jackson,  and 
Mr.  Izard.  The  house  where  Captain  Marriner 
kept  a tavern  at  this  time  was  the  fine  old 
mansion  upon  the  heights,  now  known  as  the 
Jumel  house. 

Theatre-going  seems  to  have  been  a favorite 
recreation  of  the  Washingtons,  both  in  New 
York  and  in  Philadelphia.  The  theatre  in  the 
former  place  is  described  as  a poor  sort  of 
affair,  capable  of  accommodating  only  about  a 
hundred  persons.  It  was  situated  on  the  north 
side  of  John  Street,  near  Broadway. 

The  President  wrote  in  his  diary,  “ Monday, 
November  SO^went  to  the  Play  in  the  evening, 
and  presented  tickets  to  the  following  persons, 
viz : — Doctf  Johnson  and  lady,  Mr.  Dalton  and 
lady,  Secretary  of  war  and  lady,  Baron  de 
Steuben  and  Mrs.  Greene.”  Another  theatre 
party  was  given  a few  days  later,  which  included 
Mrs.  John  Adams,  General  and  Mrs.  Schuyler, 
and  the  Hamiltons.  A German,  named  Feyles, 
was  the  leader  of  the  orchestra,  and  had  com- 
posed the  President’s  March  for  one  of  these 
occasions.  The  tune  was  played  at  the  moment 
210 


LIFE  IN  NE  W YORK 


when  Washington  and  his  friends  entered  the 
theatre.  It  was  afterwards  slightly  altered, 
and  has  been  known  as  “ Hail,  Columbia,”  ever 
since.1 

One  evening  the  President  and  his  party 
were  enjoying  Wignell’s 2 representation  of 
Darby  in  the  interlude  of  “ Darby’s  Return,” 
a play  written  by  William  Dunlap,  in  which 
Darby,  an  Irish  lad,  recounts  his  adventures  in 

1 The  words  of  “ Hail,  Columbia  ” were  written  by  Judge 
Joseph  Hopkinson,  of  Philadelphia,  and  were  first  sung  in  the 
Chestnut  Street  Theatre  by  Gilbert  Fox,  accompanied  by  a 
full  band  and  grand  chorus.  This  was  in  the  summer  of  1798, 
when  a foreign  war  seemed  inevitable,  Congress  being  in  ses- 
sion in  Philadelphia  to  deliberate  upon  this  important  subject. 
Judge  Hopkinson  himself  explained  the  circumstances  under 
which  this  national  song  -was  written. 

Some  popular  words  to  be  used  in  the  theatre,  adapted  to 
the  tune  of  the  President’s  March,  were  desired.  A number 
of  persons  had  endeavored  to  compose  some  suitable  words, 
without  success.  Judge  Plopkinson  essayed  the  task,  in  order 
to  help  a former  schoolmate  in  the  theatrical  company.  The 
result  proved  eminently  successful,  because  the  verses  fitted 
the  time  as  well  as  the  tune,  being  truly  American  and  non- 
partisan. In  a few  weeks  “ Hail,  Columbia  ” had  taken  hold 
of  the  popular  heart,  and  established  a place  which  it  has  ever 
since  held  among  the  national  songs  of  America. 

2 Thomas  Wignell  was  an  English  actor,  who  came  to 
America  in  1786.  He  was  one  of  the  first  actors  to  present 
the  now  familiar  Yankee  Jonathan  upon  the  stage.  Wignell 
married  Mrs.  Merry,  herself  a famous  London  actress,  and  was 
later  a successful  manager  in  Philadelphia,  where  he  died 
suddenly  in  the  Chestnut  Street  Theatre,  from  the  careless- 
ness of  a physician,  it  is  said,  who  severed  an  artery  while 
bleeding  him. 


211 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


the  United  States  and  elsewhere.  When  he 
told  of  what  befell  him  in  New  York  at  the  in- 
auguration of  the  President,  etc.,  “ the  interest 
expressed  by  the  audience,”  says  Dunlap,  “ in 
the  looks  and  the  changes  of  countenance  of 
the  great  man  [Washington]  became  intense. 

“ At  the  descriptive  lines,  — 

‘ A man  who  fought  to  free  the  land  from  woe. 

Like  me,  had  left  his  farm  a-soldiering  to  go, 

But  having  gained  his  point,  he  had,  like  me, 

Return’d,  his  own  potato  ground  to  see. 

But  there  he  could  not  rest.  With  one  accord, 

He  is  call’d  to  be  a kind  of  — not  a lord  — 

I don’t  know  what;  he 's  not  a great  man,  sure, 

For  poor  men  love  him  just  as  he  were  poor,’  — 

the  president  looked  serious ; and  when  Kath- 
leen asked, 

* IIow  look’d  he,  Darhy  t Was  he  short  or  tall  1 ’ 

his  countenance  showed  embarrassment,  from 
the  expectation  of  one  of  those  eulogiums  which 
he  had  been  obliged  to  hear  on  many  public 
occasions,  and  which  must  doubtless  have  been 
a severe  trial  to  his  feelings. 

“ The  President  was,  however,  speedily  re- 
lieved by  Darby’s  declaration  that  he  had  not 
seen  him.” 

There  was  little  gayety  in  New  York  after 
the  first  flutter  of  the  inauguration  festivities, 
in  consequence  of  the  severe  illness  of  the 
212 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


President,  which  was  followed  by  the  death  of 
his  mother  in  September.  In  October  Wash- 
ington set  forth  upon  his  Eastern  tour,  from 
which  he  did  not  return  until  the  middle  of 
November. 

On  the  first  of  January,  1790,  the  principal 
gentlemen  of  New  York  waited  upon  the  Presi- 
dent, in  accordance  with  a pleasant  Dutch  cus- 
tom then  universally  prevalent  in  their  city, 
to  pay  him  the  compliments  of  the  season. 
The  same  evening,  when  Mrs.  Washington 
held  her  drawing-room,  she  said,  “ Of  all  the 
incidents  of  the  day,  none  so  pleased  the  Gen- 
eral, as  the  friendly  greetings  of  the  gentlemen 
who  visited  him  at  noon.”  When  the  Presi- 
dent learned  that  it  was  an  annual  custom, 
derived  from  Dutch  forefathers,  he  observed, 
after  a short  pause  : “ The  highly  favored  situa- 
tion of  New  York  will,  in  the  process  of  years, 
attract  numerous  emigrants,  who  will  gradually 
change  its  ancient  customs  and  manners ; but 
let  whatever  changes  take  place,  never  forget 
the  cordial , cheerful  observances  of  New  Years 
day.”  1 This  New  Year’s  day  in  New  York  is 
described  as  equal  in  mildness  to  a May  day : 
the  surrounding  farmers  were  able  to  plough 

1 This  prophetic  utterance  is  repeated  by  Mr.  W.  L.  Stone 
in  his  History  of  New  York,  as  having  been  related  by  one 
who  was  present  upon  this  occasion. 

213 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


their  fields,  while  women  appeared  upon  the 
streets  in  summer  dresses.  The  air  was  so 
balmy  that  the  windows  of  the  Presidential 
mansion  were  open,  while  a full  moon  made  the 
streets  so  light  that  the  guests  who  wended 
their  way  through  them  to  Mrs.  Washington’s 
drawing-room  had  no  need  of  lamp  or  linkman. 
This  drawing-room,  of  more  than  usual  bril- 
liancy, must  have  presented  a scene  not  unlike 
that  which  the  brush  of  Mr.  Huntingdon  has 
preserved  for  future  generations.  Although 
the  artist  himself  says  that  he  used  as  a back- 
ground for  his  famous  painting  the  M’Comb 
house  on  Broadway,  to  which  the  Washingtons 
did  not  remove  until  later,  and  that  he  intro- 
duced some  figures  into  the  group  that  were  not 
in  New  York  at  that  time,  there  could  have  been 
no  more  distinguished  company  at  the  Broad- 
way residence  than  was  assembled  at  the  Frank- 
lin house  at  the  New  Year’s  reception  of  1790. 
Here  was  the  dignified  hostess  in  her  velvet 
gown  over  a white  satin  petticoat,  her  hair 
rolled  moderately  high,  not  half  so  high  as 
that  of  Mrs.  Robert  Morris,  who  stands  near 
her,  and  who  appears  in  one  of  her  portraits 
with  a most  imposing  structure  upon  her  head. 
The  President  stood  by  his  wife’s  side,  or  moved 
from  group  to  group,  exchanging  a few  words 
with  the  guests. 


214 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


Among  those  who  surrounded  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington were  Mrs.  John  Adams,  her  daughter 
Mrs.  William  Smith ; lovely  Mrs.  James  Beek- 
man,  who  had  been  the  leading  belle  at  the 
Comte  de  Moustier’s  ball ; Mrs.  George  Clinton, 
her  daughter  Cornelia,  who  married  Citizen 
Genet,  first  minister  from  the  French  Republic 
to  the  United  States ; Mrs.  Livingston  of  Cler- 
mont, widow  of  Judge  Livingston  ; Mrs.  Robert 
R.  Livingston,  Mrs.  Montgomery  and  her  sister- 
in-law,  Mrs.  James  Duane,  another  Livingston, 
whose  husband  was  mayor  of  New  York ; Mi's. 
Ralph  Izard,  better  known  to  the  gay  world  of 
the  metropolis  as  beautiful  Alice  de  Lancey ; 
Mrs.  Harrison  Gray  Otis,  born  Sally  Foster; 
Mrs.  Theodore  Sedgwick,  from  Massachusetts ; 
Miss  Wolcott,  from  Connecticut,  who  mar- 
ried Chauncey  Goodrich,  and  her  sister-in-law 
Mrs.  Olive  Wolcott.  This  lady,  although  less 
beautiful  than  Miss  Wolcott,  possessed  great 
charm  of  manner.  The  British  minister,  Mr. 
Liston,  observing  the  grace  and  dignity  with 
which  Mrs.  Wolcott  moved  through  the  dance, 
remarked  to  Mr.  Tracy,  “ Your  countrywoman, 
Mrs.  Wolcott,  would  be  admired  even  at  St. 
James’s to  which  the  Connecticut  senator,  his 
patriotism  ablaze,  replied,  “ She  is  admired  even 
at  Litchfield  Hill.”  All  gentlemen  in  official 
life,  with  their  wives  and  daughters,  paid  their 

215 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


respects  to  Mrs.  Washington,  and  here  were 
also  the  foreign  ambassadors,  in  their  rich  cos- 
tumes glittering  with  decorations.  The  line 
was  drawn  sharply  in  those  days ; none  were 
admitted  to  Mrs.  Washington’s  drawing-room 
but  those  who  had  a right  by  reason  of  official 
station,  or  were  entitled  to  the  privilege  by  es- 
tablished merit,  character  and  position.  Full 
dress  was  required  of  al\,  and  at  a period  when 
the  costumes  of  the  men  were  as  picturesque 
and  almost  as  varied  as  those  of  the  women, 
full  dress  meant  more  than  it  does  to-day.  Mr. 
Huntingdon  says  that  he  chose  the  time  for  his 
picture  when  many  powdered  heads  were  still 
to  be  seen  among  men  as  well  as  women,  and 
when  knee  breeches  and  long  silk  stockings, 
with  brilliant  knee  and  shoe  buckles,  were  still 
in  vogue. 

Prominent  among  Mrs.  Washington’s  guests 
were  Chief  Justice  Jay  and  his  beautiful  wife, 
whose  social  advantages,  at  home  and  abroad, 
enabled  her  to  give  the  law  in  fashion  and  ele- 
gance to  New  York  women,  as  did  Mrs.  Wil- 
liam Bingham  to  those  of  Philadelphia.  In 
Mrs.  Jay’s  home  on  Broadway  she  held  drawing- 
rooms only  second  in  importance  to  those  of 
Mrs.  Washington.  Here,  as  we  learn  from  her 
visiting-list,  preserved  to  this  day,  flocked  all 
leading  men  and  women  of  the  time,  and  all 
216 


LIFE  IN  NEW  YORK 


foreigners  of  distinction  who  came  to  the 
capital. 

This  was  the  only  New  Year’s  day  spent  by 
the  Washingtons  in  New  York.  In  July  of  the 
following  summer  it  was  decided  to  establish 
the  seat  of  government  upon  the  banks  of  the 
Potomac,  while  the  sessions  of  Congress  were 
to  be  held  in  Philadelphia  for  the  ensuing  ten 
years. 

Mrs.  Washington  remained  in  New  York 
until  the  last  of  August,  when  she  and  her 
husband  set  forth  for  Mount  Vernon,  stopping 
for  some  days  in  Philadelphia.  Before  leaving 
New  York  the  President  expressed  his  gratifi- 
cation at  the  manner  in  which  he  had  been 
treated  in  that  city,  which  he  says  that  he  left 
with  reluctance,  adding:  “Mrs.  Washington 
also  seemed  hurt  at  the  idea  of  bidding  adieu 
to  these  hospitable  shores.” 


217 


X 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 

“ And  now,  at  last,  we  have  taken  leave  of 
New  York.  It  is  natural  to  look  at  the  pros- 
pect before  me.  The  citizens  of  Philadelphia 
(such  is  the  strange  infatuation  of  self-love) 
believe  that  ten  years  is  eternity  to  them  with 
respect  to  the  residence,  and  that  Congress 
will  in  that  time  be  so  enamoured  of  them  as 
never  to  leave  them  ; and  all  this  with  the 
recent  example  of  New  York  before  their  eyes, 
whose  allurements  are  more  than  ten  to  two 
compared  with  Philadelphia.”  So  wrote  the 
Pennsylvania  senator,  William  Maclay,  in  July, 
1790,  when  it  was  decided  that  the  sessions  of 
Congress  should  be  held  in  Philadelphia  until 
the  new  buildings  in  the  federal  city  should  he 
ready  for  occupation. 

Mrs.  John  Adams  said,  when  she  came  to 
Philadelphia,  that  she  had  left  “ the  grand  and 
sublime  at  Richmond  Hill,  the  Schuylkill  be- 
ing no  more  like  the  Hudson  than  I to  Her- 
cules. Mrs.  Lear,”  she  says,  “ was  in  to  see 
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PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


me  yesterday,  and  assures  me  that  I am  better 
off  than  Mrs.  Washington  will  be  when  she 
arrives,  for  that  their  house  is  not  likely  to  bo 
completed  this  year.  And  when  all  is  done,  it 
will  not  be  Broadway.  If  New  York  wanted 
any  revenge  for  the  removal,  the  citizens  might 
be  glutted  if  they  would  come  here,  where 
every  article  is  almost  double  in  price,  and 
where  it  is  not  possible  for  Congress,  and  the 
appendages,  to  be  half  as  well  accommodated 
for  a long  time.” 

Others  there  were  who  felt  differently  with 
regard  to  the  comparative  advantages  of  the 
two  cities.  Governor  John  Page,  of  Virginia, 
wrote  from  New  York  : “ This  town  is  not  half 
as  large  as  Philadelphia,  nor  in  any  manner  to 
be  compared  to  it  for  beauty  and  elegance ; ” 
while  Mr.  Henry  Wansey,  who  visited  the  capi- 
tal a little  later,  found  the  manners  and  styles 
so  like  those  of  London  that,  while  sitting  at 
the  theatre,  which  he  described  as  elegant  and 
convenient  and  as  large  as  Covent  Garden,  he 
felt  as  if  he  were  still  in  his  own  country. 
Upon  evenings  when  the  President  and  Mrs. 
Washington  were  in  their  box,  surrounded  by 
some  of  the  cabinet  officers  and  their  wives, 
and  when  many  fashionable  men  and  women 
were  in  the  audience,  the  scene  presented  must 
have  been  a gay  one,  especially  as  many  of  the 

219 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


ladies  wore  their  hair  “ full  dressed  without 
caps,”  the  younger  women  with  theirs  flowing 
in-  ringlets  upon  their  shoulders,  while  the 
gentlemen  appeared  in  round  hats,  their  coats, 
which  were  often  of  striped  silk  with  high  col- 
lars, cut  quite  in  the  English  fashion. 

The  Philadelphia  house  chosen  as  the  resi- 
dence of  the  Chief  Executive  was  one  owned  by 
Mr.  Robert  Morris,  and  was  then  numbered  190 
High  Street,  now  Market.  It  was  the  largest 
and  most  suitable  house  that  could  be  secured 
for  this  purpose.  With  regard  to  its  furnishing 
and  all  household  arrangements,  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington was  saved  much  care  by  the  forethought 
of  her  husband  and  by  the  admirable  executive 
ability  of  Mr.  Lear.  The  President’s  letters  to 
the  latter  are  most  explicit,  entering  fully  into 
the  minutiae  of  domestic  arrangements,  even 
to  the  exchanging  of  mangles  with  Mrs.  Morris 
and  to  a discussion  of  the  comparative  merits 
of  certain  butlers  and  cooks,  which  ended  in 
the  engaging  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hyde  instead 
of  Fraunces,  although  an  advantage  that  the 
President  set  forth  in  favor  of  the  latter  was 
that  he  was  “ an  excellent  cook,  knowing  how 
to  provide  genteel  dinners,  and  giving  aid  in 
dressing  them,  prepared  the  dessert,  made  the 
cake,  etc.” 

The  house  on  the  south  side  of  Market 


220 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


Street,  some  distance  east  of  Sixth,  to  which 
the  Washingtons  came  late  in  November,  is  de- 
scribed by  Mr.  Richard  Rush  as  a large  double 
house,  its  “ whole  external  aspect  marking  it 
as  the  abode  of  opulence  and  respectability.” 
Mr.  Thomas  Twining,  who  came  to  Philadel- 
phia with  eyes  accustomed  to  the  larger  dimen- 
sions of  Old  World  buildings,  recorded  in  his 
diary  that 

“The  President  lived  in  a small  red  brick  house 
on  the  left  side  of  High  Street,  not  much  higher 
up  than  Fourth  Street.  There  was  nothing  in  the 
exterior  of  the  house  that  denoted  the  rank  of  its 
possessor.  Next  door  was  a hair-dresser.  Having 
stated  my  object  to  a servant  who  came  to  the  door, 
I was  conducted  up  a neat  but  rather  narrow  stair- 
case, carpeted  in  the  middle,  and  was  shown  into  a 
middling-sized,  well-furnished  drawing-room  on  the 
left  of  the  passage.  Nearly  opposite  the  door  was 
the  fireplace,  with  a wood-fire  in  it.  The  floor  was 
carpeted.  On  the  left  of  the  fireplace  was  a sofa, 
which  sloped  across  the  room.  There  were  no  pic- 
tures on  the  Avails,  no  ornaments  on  the  chimney- 
piece.  Two  windows  on  the  right  of  the  entrance 
looked  into  the  street.  There  was  nobody  in  the 
room,  hut  in  a minute  Mrs.  Washington  came  in, 
when  I repeated  the  object  of  my  calling,  and  put 
into  her  hands  the  letter  for  General  Washington, 
and  his  miniature.  She  said  she  would  deliver 
them  to  the  President,  and,  inviting  me  to  sit  down, 
221 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


retired  for  that  purpose.  She  soon  returned,  and 
said  the  President  would  come  presently,  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington was  a middle-sized  lady,  rather  stout;  her 
manner  extremely  kind  and  unaffected.  She  sat 
down  on  the  sofa,  and  invited  me  to  sit  by  her.  I 
spoke  of  the  pleasant  days  I had  passed  at  Wash- 
ington, and  of  the  attentions  I had  received  from 
her  granddaughter,  Mrs.  Law. 

“While  engaged  in  this  conversation,  but  with 
my  thoughts  turned  to  the  expected  arrival  of  the 
General,  the  door  opened,  and  Mrs.  Washington 
and  myself  rising,  she  said,  ‘ The  President,’  and 
introduced  me  to  him.” 

Back  of  the  house  there  was  a garden,  in 
which  were  some  fine  trees,  and  this  garden 
extended  to  Minor  Street,  where  were  the 
stables,  an  important  part  of  the  domain  to 
Washington.  The  nearest  house  to  that  of  the 
President  was  Mr.  Morris’s  own  residence  at 
the  corner  of  Sixth  and  Market  streets.  Be- 
ing so  near  each  other,  we  can  imagine  Mrs. 
Washington  and  Mrs.  Morris  exchanging  all 
manner  of  neighborly  civilities,  while  their 
husbands  met  together  in  council,  formally 
and  informally.  In  addition  to  his  own  home 
and  the  house  at  190  Market  Street  occupied 
by  the  President,  Mr.  Morris  owned  another 
house  on  the  same  street,  in  which  General 
Walter  Stewart  and  his  beautiful  wife,  Deborah 
222 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


McClenachan,  were  domiciled.  Colonel  Clem- 
ent Biddle,  an  old  friend  of  the  President’s 
and  a former  companion  in  arms,  was  living  at 
this  time  at  38  Walnut  Street,  where  the  sign 
of  “ Notary,  Scriviner,  and  Broker,”  announced 
that  he  had  relinquished  the  sword  for  the 
quill.  He  and  his  beautiful  Rhode  Island  wife, 
Rebecca  Cornell,  had  shared  with  the  General 
and  Mrs.  Washington  the  hardships  of  the  win- 
ter of  1777  and  1778  at  Yalley  Forge,  where 
Mrs.  Biddle's  mother-wit  and  housewifely  skill 
had  won  for  her  the  Commander-in-Chief’s  con- 
sent to  remain  in  camp  with  her  husband.1 

Many  interesting  stories  of  the  President’s 
visits  to  her  father’s  house  on  Walnut  Street 
have  come  down  to  this  generation  through  Colo- 
nel Biddle’s  daughter,  afterwards  Mrs.  Nathan- 
iel Chapman,  who  as  a child  was  particularly 
impressed  with  the  grandeur  of  his  coach-and- 
four.  Miss  Susan  Binney,  who  lived  with  her 
parents  directly  opposite  the  Washington  resi- 
dence, also  retained  a vivid  recollection  of  the 
President’s  coaches.  “General  Washington,” 
she  said,  “ had  a large  family  coach,  a light 
carriage,  and  a chariot,  all  alike  cream-colored, 

1 Colonel  Biddle  resigned  his  commission  before  the  close 
of  the  war,  hut  was  made  United  States  Marshal  for  Penn- 
sylvania in  1787,  and  in  1794  again  took  up  arms  under  his 
old  commander  when  the  Whiskey  Rebellion  called  him  into 
the  field. 


223 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


painted  with  three  enamelled  figures  on  each 
panel,  and  very  handsome.  He  drove  in  the 
coach  to  Christ  Church  every  Sunday  morning, 
with  two  horses : drove  the  carriage-and-four 
into  the  country.  ...  In  going  to  the  Senate 
he  used  the  chariot,  with  six  horses.  All  his 
servants  were  white,  and  wore  liveries  of  white 
cloth,  trimmed  with  scarlet  or  orange.” 

This  chariot  with  six  horses,  in  which  Gene- 
ral Washington  drove  to  the  Senate,  at  Sixth 
and  Chestnut  Streets,  was  the  most  elegant  of 
his  carriages.  It  was  built  in  London  expressly 
for  Governor  John  Penn,  from  whom  it  was 
purchased  for  the  President’s  wife.  It  was  of 
cream  color,  richly  decorated  with  gilt  medal- 
lions, and  was  considered  by  some  persons  “ too 
pompous  for  a Republican  President.”  In  this 
chariot  Mrs.  Washington  was  often  to  be  seen, 
and  by  her  side  the  fair,  youthful  faces  of  Nelly 
Custis,  Elizabeth  Bordley,  the  daughters  of 
Robert  Morris,  and  other  young  ladies  with 
whom  Miss  Custis  was  upon  intimate  terms. 
Although  the  equipages  of  the  President  and 
his  wife  were  so  handsome  as  to  excite 
the  admiration  of  Miss  Biddle  and  Miss  Bin- 
ney,  the  appearance  of  the  Chief  Magistrate 
in  public  was  not  sufficiently  imposing  to 
satisfy  Mr.  Jacob  Hiltzheimer,  as  he  wrote  in 
his  diary : “We  met,  just  below  the  stone 

224 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


bridge  in  the  meadows,  our  President  Wash- 
ington, and  lady  in  a coach  and  four,  two  pos- 
tillions, and  only  one  servant  on  horseback. 
In  old  countries  a man  of  his  rank  and  dignity 
would  not  be  seen  without  a retinue  of  twenty 
or  more  persons.” 

As  an  offset  to  Mr.  Hiltzheimer’s  disappoint- 
ment, we  give  the  impressions  of  another  famous 
chronicler,  who  describes  the  Washingtons  as 
they  appeared  to  him  one  summer  day  when 
he  passed  up  Market  Street  on  an  errand. 

“The  reminiscent,”  he  says,  “was  struck  with 
the  novel  spectacle  of  this  splendid  coach  with  six 
elegant  bays  attached,  postillions  and  outrider  in 
livery,  in  waiting  at  the  President’s  door,  and 
although  charged  to  make  haste  back,  was  deter- 
mined to  see  the  end  of  it.  Presently  the  door 
opened,  when  the  ‘beheld  of  all  beholders,’  in  a 
suit  of  dark  silk  velvet  of  the  old  cut,  silver  or 
steel  hilted  small  sword  at  the  left  side,  hair  full 
powdered,  black  silk  rose  and  bag,  accompanied 
by  ‘Lady  Washington,’  also  in  full  dress,  appeared 
standing  upon  the  marble  steps  — presenting  her 
his  hand,  he  led  her  down  to  the  coach,  with 
that  ease  and  grace  peculiar  to  him  in  every 
thing,  and  as  remembered,  with  the  attentive  assi- 
duity of  an  ardent  youthful  lover;  — having  also 
handed  in  a young  lady,  and  the  door  clapped  to, 
Fritz,  the  Coachman,  gave  a rustling  flourish  with 
his  lash,  which  produced  a plunging  motion  in  the 
15  225 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


leading  horses,  reined  in  by  the  postilions,  and 
striking  flakes  of  fire  between  their  heels  and  the 
pebbles  beneath  — when 

“ Crack  went  the  whip,  round  went  the  wheels, 

As  though  High  Street  were  mad.” 

During  the  early  years  of  this  administration 
the  Vice-President  and  his  wife  were  living  at 
Bush  Hill,1  one  of  the  Hamilton  places  which 
Mrs.  Adams  considered  quite  remote  from  the 
centre  of  the  town,  especially  as  she  describes 
the  roads  as  “ all  clay,  and,  in  open  weather, 
up  to  the  horses’  knees ; so  that  much  of  my 
time  must  be  spent  at  home.”  Later,  when 
she  had  recovered  from  the  discomforts  that 
attended  her  arrival,  in  the  form  of  fresh  paint 
and  cold,  damp  rooms,  and  from  the  disap- 
pointment of  having  her  best  gowns  spoiled 
upon  their  sea  voyage  to  Philadelphia,  this 
keen  but  generally  fair-minded  lady  wrote  with 
enthusiasm  of  social  life  at  the  capital.  In 
speaking  of  one  of  Mrs.  Washington’s  drawing- 
rooms in  a letter  to  her  daughter,  she  says  : 

“The  room  became  full  before  I left  it,  and  the 
circle  very  brilliant.  How  could  it  be  otherwise, 
when  the  dazzling  Mrs.  Bingham  and  her  beauti- 
ful sisters  were  there;  The  Misses  Allen  and  Misses 

1 This  old  mansion,  which  was  burned  down  early  in  the 
present  century,  stood  upon  the  now  thickly  settled  portion 
of  the  city,  near  Eighteenth  and  Buttonwood  streets. 

226 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


Chew;  in  short,  a constellation  of  beauties?  I 
am  serious  when  I say  so,  for  I really  think  them 
what  I describe  them.  Mrs.  Bingham  has  cer- 
tainly given  laws  to  the  ladies  here,  in  fashion 
and  elegance;  their  manners  and  appearance  are 
superior  to  what  I have  seen.” 

To  the  pen  of  an  observing  and  intelligent 
young  lady,  Miss  Charlotte  Chambers,  who  was 
visiting  Philadelphia  in  the  winter  of  1795,  we 
are  indebted  for  a more  detailed  account  of  a 
drawing-room  than  that  of  Mrs.  Adams  : 1 — 

“ Next  morning  I received  an  invitation  by  my 
father,  from  Mrs.  Washington,  to  visit  her,  and 
Colonel  Hartley  politely  offered  to  accompany  me 
to  the  next  drawing-room  levee. 

“On  this  evening  my  dress  was  white  brocade 
silk,  trimmed  with  silver,  and  white-silk,  high- 
heeled  shoes,  embroidered  with  silver,  and  a light 
blue  sash,  with  silver  cord  and  tassel  tied  at  the  left 
side.  My  watch  was  suspended  at  the  right,  and 
my  hair  was  in  its  natural  curls.  Surmounting 
all  was  a small  white  hat  and  white  ostrich  feather, 
confined  by  brilliant  band  and  buckle.  Punctual 
to  the  moment,  Colonel  Hartley,  in  his  chariot, 

1 Miss  Charlotte  Chambers,  the  writer  of  this  letter,  was  a 
daughter  of  General  James  Chambers  of  the  Pennsylvania 
line,  and  a granddaughter  of  Benjamin  Chambers,  the  founder 
of  Chambersburg,  Pennsylvania.  She  married  Israel  Ludlow 
in  1796,  and  with  him  became  a pioneer  in  the  settlement  of 
the  State  of  Ohio. 


227 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


arrived.  He  brought  with  him  Dr.  Price,  from 
England,  who  has  sought  America  as  an  asylum, 
having  given  some  political  umbrage  to  his  own 
government. 

“The  hall, stairs,  and  drawing  room  of  the  Presi- 
dent’s house  were  well  lighted  by  lamps  and  chan- 
deliers. Mrs.  Washington  with  Mrs.  Knox  sat 
near  the  fireplace.  Other  ladies  were  seated  on 
sofas,  and  gentlemen  stood  in  the  centre  of  the 
room  conversing.  On  our  approach  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington arose  and  made  a courtesy  — the  gentle- 
men bowed  most  profoundly  — and  I calculated 
my  declension  to  her  own  with  critical  exactness. 

“The  President,  soon  after,  with  that  benignity 
peculiarly  his  own,  advanced,  and  I arose  to  re- 
ceive and  return  his  compliments  with  the  respect 
and  love  my  heart  dictated. 

“He  seated  himself  beside  me  — and  inquired 
for  my  father,  a severe  cold  having  detained  him  at 
home.” 

Miss  Binney  in  after  years  often  spoke  of 
Mrs.  Washington’s  drawing-room,  which  she 
attended  in  the  company  of  Mrs.  Oliver  Wol- 
cott. Upon  these  occasions,  she  said,  the 
President  came  forward  and  bowed  to  every 
lady,  after  she  was  seated. 

There  was  much  gayety  in  Philadelphia  dur- 
ing the  Washington  administration.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  Dancing  Assemblies,  which  were 
held  regularly,  the  balls  given  upon  the  Presi- 
228 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


dent’s  birthday  are  described  by  the  French 
traveller  De  Liancourt  as  especially  brilliant, 
“ the  splendor  of  the  rooms  and  the  richness  of 
the  dresses  ” not  suffering  in  comparison  with 
those  of  European  entertainments,  while  of  the 
beauty  of  the  young  women  of  .the  city  he 
speaks  with  enthusiasm  ; but  alas  ! of  the  young 
men  of  the  day  he  pronounces  the  withering 
criticism  that  “ they,  for  the  most  part,  seem 
to  belong  to  another  species.”  Of  the  birth- 
night  ball  of  February  22,  1795,  Judge  Iredell 
wrote  to  his  wife  that  the  occasion  was  cele- 
brated “ with  uncommon  zeal  and  attach- 
ment,” while  one  of  the  journals  of  the  day 
recorded : — 

“In  the  evening  the  President  attended  the  ball 
and  supper  given  by  the  City  Dancing  Assembly. 
The  rooms  were  crowded  by  a brilliant  assemblage 
of  the  Fair  of  the  metropolis.  Near  150  ladies, 
and  nearly  twice  the  number  of  citizens  were  pres- 
ent. A greater  display  of  beauty  and  elegance  no 
country,  we  believe,  could  ever  boast  of.  Most  of 
the  foreign  Ministers  attended  with  their  ladies. 

“After  the  supper  the  President  gave  the  fol- 
lowing toast:  ‘The  Dancing  Assembly  of  Phila- 
delphia — May  the  members  thereof,  and  the  Fair 
who  honour  it  with  their  presence,  long  continue 
in  the  enjoyment  of  an  amusement  so  innocent  and 
agreeable.’  ” 


229 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Of  this  same  birthday  celebration,  Miss 
Charlotte  Chambers  has  left  the  following 
description  : — 

“The  morning  of  the  ‘twenty-second’  was 
ushered  in  by  the  discharge  of  heavy  artillery. 
The  whole  city  was  in  commotion,  making  arrange- 
ments to  demonstrate  their  attachment  to  our  be- 
loved President.  The  Masonic,  Cincinnati,  and 
military  orders  united  in  doing  him  honor. 
Happy  republic!  great  and  glorious! 

“.  . . Mrs.  Cad walader  was  too  much  indisposed 
to  attend  the  ball.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jackson,  with 
Dr.  Spring,  called  for  me  in  their  coach.  Dr. 
Hodman,  master  of  ceremonies,  met  us  at  the  door, 
and  conducted  us  to  Mrs.  Washington.  She  half 
arose  as  we  made  our  passing  compliments.  She 
was  dressed  in  a rich  silk,  but  entirely  without 
ornament,  except  the  animation  her  amiable  heart 
gives  to  her  countenance.  Next  her  were  seated 
the  wives  of  the  foreign  ambassadors,  glittering 
from  the  floor  to  the  summit  of  their  head-dress. 
One  of  the  ladies  wore  three  large  ostrich-feathers. 
Her  brow  was  encircled  by  a sparkling  fillet  of 
diamonds;  her  neck  and  arms  were  almost  covered 
with  jewels,  and  two  watches  were  suspended  from 
her  girdle,  and  all  reflecting  the  light  from  a 
hundred  directions.  Such  superabundance  of  or- 
nament struck  me  as  injudicious;  we  look  too 
much  at  the  gold  and  pearls  to  do  justice  to  the 
lady.  However,  it  may  not  be  in  conformity  to 
230 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


their  individual  taste  thus  decorating  themselves, 
hut  to  honor  the  country  they  represent. 

“The  seats  were  arranged  like  those  of  an  am- 
phitheatre, and  cords  were  stretched  on  each  side 
of  the  room,  about  three  feet  from  the  floor  to  pre- 
serve sufficient  space  for  the  dancers.  We  were 
not  long  seated,  when  General  Washington  entered 
and  bowed  to  the  ladies  as  he  passed  round  the 
room.  ‘ He  comes,  he  comes,  the  hero  comes  ! ’ I 
involuntarily,  hut  softly  exclaimed.  When  he 
bowed  to  me  I could  scarcely  resist  the  impulse 
of  my  heart,  that  almost  burst  through  my  bosom, 
to  meet  him. 

“ The  dancing  soon  after  commenced.  Mr.  John 
Woods,  Mr.  John  Shippen,  Lawrence  Washing- 
ton, and  Colonel  Hartley  enlivened  the  time  by 
their  attentions,  and  to  them  I was  much  indebted, 
for  the  pleasure  of  the  evening.” 

Here,  as  in  New  York,  the  Washingtons  often 
attended  places  of  amusement,  announcements 
like  the  following  being  frequent  in  the  jour- 
nals of  the  day : “ The  President  and  his  lady 
went  to  see  Mr.  Ricketts  Ride  ” : or 

“The  President  honored  the  following  perform- 
ance by  the  Old  American  Company.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Hallam  had  a benefit  on  Thursday  evening, 
Dec.  4,  at  the  South  St.  Theatre  — a comedy  called 
‘The  Young  Quaker;  or  the  Fair  Philadelphian’ 
by  O’Keefe  after  which  there  was  a ‘ pantomimic 
231 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


ballet  ’ of  the  Two  Philosophers,  a Musical  Piece 
called  The  Children  in  the  Wood,  a recitation  of 
Dr.  Goldsmith’s  celebrated  Epilogue  in  the  char- 
acter of  Harlequin, — the  whole  performance  con- 
cluding with  a Leap  through  a Barrel  of  Fire.” 

It  is  interesting  to  notice  that  this  long  and 
varied  performance  was  begun  at  quarter  after 
five  o’clock,  a not  inconvenient  time,  after  all, 
when  the  fashionable  dinner  hour  was  three 
o’clock.  During  the  early  years  of  the  ad- 
ministration theatrical  performances  were  given 
at  the  Southwark  Theatre;  but  in  1796  there 
appears  in  the  journals  of  the  day  mention  of 
the  Washingtons  attending  the  new  theatre, 
which  was  on  the  north  side  of  Chestnut  Street, 
above  Sixth. 

All  fashionable  residences,  churches,  and 
theatres,  were  grouped  together  in  the  narrow 
limits  of  the  old  city,  which  reached  north  and 
south  from  Arch  to  Lombard,  and  westward 
barely  to  Ninth  Street,  the  new  executive 
mansion  at  the  corner  of  Ninth  and  Market 
streets  being  considered  quite  “ far  out  of 
town.”  Christ  Church  and  St.  Peter’s  were 
both  near  the  Washington  residence ; the 
former,  the  nearer  of  the  two,  was  usually  at- 
tended by  the  President’s  family.  They  are 
described  as  entering  by  the  door  to  the  right 
of  the  chancel,  preceded  by  a servant  in  livery 

232 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


who  advanced  and  opened  the  door  of  the  pew. 
The  entrance  of  the  President  was  a signal 
for  the  congregation  to  rise,  and  to  remain 
standing  until  he  and  his  family  were  seated. 
The  servant  then  closed  the  door  of  the  pew 
and  seated  himself  on  a chair  in  the  aisle, 
where  he  remained  until  the  President  left  the 
church,  when  the  same  ceremony  was  observed, 
the  servant  preceding  him  and  opening  the 
carriage  door. 

Mr.  Wansey  has  described  a breakfast  at 
the  President’s,  when  Mrs.  Washington  herself 
made  the  tea  and  coffee,  at  her  end  of  the  table, 
and  where  everything  was  conducted  with  great 
simplicity,  one  servant,  without  livery,  waiting 
upon  the  table.  This  is  undoubtedly  a fair 
picture  of  the  Washingtons  in  the  privacy  of 
their  domestic  life  ; yet  from  other  accounts  it 
appears  that  the  President’s  servants  wore 
livery,  and  that  dinners  of  considerable  style 
and  elegance  were  given  at  the  executive  man- 
sion. In  writing  to  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Thomas 
Hooper,  of  one  of  these  dinners,  Theophilus 
Bradbury,  member  of  Congress  from  Essex 
County,  Massachusetts,  says  : — 

“ In  compliance  with  my  promise  I now  sit  down 
to  write,  and,  though  I have  nothing  material  to 
communicate,  I am  influenced  by  the  pleasure  it 
gives  me,  at  this  distance,  of  conversing  with  my 
233 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


children  in  the  only  way  which  I can.  Last  Thurs- 
day I had  the  honor  of  dining  with  the  President, 
in  company  with  the  Vice-President,  the  senators 
and  Delegates  of  Massachusetts,  and  some  other 
members  of  Congress,  about  20  in  all.  In  the 
middle  of  the  table  was  placed  a piece  of  table 
furniture  about  six  feet  long  and  two  feet  wide 
rounded  at  the  ends.  It  was  either  of  wood  gilded, 
or  polished  metal,  raised  only  about  an  inch,  with 
a silver  rim  round  it  like  that  round  a tea  board ; 
in  the  centre  was  a pedestal  of  plaster  of  Paris  with 
images  upon  it,  and  on  each  end  figures,  male  and 
female  of  the  same.  It  was  very  elegant  and  used 
for  ornament  only.  The  dishes  were  placed  all 
around,  and  there  was  an  elegant  variety  of  roast 
beef,  veal,  turkeys,  ducks,  fowls,  hams,  &c  ; pud- 
dings, jellies,  oranges,  apples,  nuts,  almonds, 
figs,  raisins,  and  a variety  of  wines  and  punch. 
We  took  our  leave  at  six,  more  than  an  hour 
after  the  candles  were  introduced.  No  lady  but 
Mrs.  Washington  dined  with  us.  We  were 
waited  on  by  four  or  five  men  servants  dressed  in 
livery.” 

Despite  the  magnificent  table  ornaments 
which  the  Hon.  Mr.  Bradbury  described  with 
such  elaboration,  Mr.  Wolcott,  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury,  wrote  to  his  wife : “ The  ex- 
ample of  the  President  and  his  family  will 
render  parade  and  expense  improper  and  dis- 
reputable.” This  statement,  and  others  made 

234 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


by  visitors  to  the  capital,  would  lead  us  to 
believe  that  the  dinners  given  by  the  Washing- 
tons were  less  sumptuous  than  those  of  many 
prominent  Philadelphians,  and  that  the  sim- 
plicity and  genuine  hospitality  that  graced 
the  table  at  Mount  Vernon,  to  a certain  ex- 
tent, characterized  even  the  state  dinners  of 
the  President.  He  always  asked  a blessing  at 
his  own  table  when  no  dominie  was  present, 
says  Dr.  Ashbel  Green,  who  relates  that  upon 
one  occasion,  “ when  his  mind  was  probably  oc- 
cupied with  some  interesting  concern,  in  go- 
ing to  the  table  the  President  began  to  ask  a 
blessing  himself.  He  uttered  but  a word  or 
two,  when  bowing  to  me,  he  requested  me  to 
proceed,  which  I accordingly  did.”  Dr.  Green 
also  says  that  at  dinner  parties  Washington 
allowed  five  minutes  for  the  variation  of  time- 
pieces, and  after  that,  when  tardy  members  of 
Congress  appeared  after  the  dinner  was  begun, 
his  rather  sarcastic  apology  was  : “ Sir,  or  gen- 
tlemen, we  are  too  punctual  for  you ; or  Gen- 
tlemen, I have  a cook  who  never  asks  whether 
the  company  has  come  but  whether  the  hour 
has  come.”  John  Adams  wrote  to  his  wife  of 
dining  at  the  President’s  with  the  celebrated 
Dr.  Joseph  Priestly,  and  with  young  Lafayette 
and  his  tutor,  Mr.  Frestel. 

With  other  guests  of  a less  conventional 

235 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


type  Mr.  Aclams  also  dined  at  the  executive 
mansion,  as  he  recorded  : — 

“ Yesterday  I dined  with  the  President  in  com- 
pany with  John  Watts,  the  King  of  the  Cherokees, 
with  a large  number  of  his  chiefs  and  their  wives ; 
among  the  rest,  the  widow  and  children  of  Hang- 
ing Man,  a famous  friend  of  ours,  who  was  basely 
murdered  by  some  white  people.  The  President 
dined  four  sets  of  Indians  on  four  several  days  the 
last  week.” 

Great  attention  seems  to  have  been  paid  to 
Indians,  live  and  dead,  during  this  administra- 
tion. The  Washingtons  were  seriously  incon- 
venienced by  the  numbers  of  Indians  who 
visited  them  at  Mount  Vernon,  and  the  Presi- 
dent, after  entertaining  a dozen  Catawbas,  in 
the  summer  of  1796,  expressed  a hope  that  the 
Cherokee  chiefs  would  not  arrive  until  after 
his  own  departure.  In  describing  the  funeral 
honors  paid  to  the  body  of  a young  Indian 
chief,  the  Rev.  Manasseh  Cutler,  who  witnessed 
the  procession  from  the  President’s  house  in 
Philadelphia,  says,  with  a strangely  modern 
note  in  his  phrasing  : “ I had  the  honor  of  tak- 
ing a fine  view  of  the  whole  at  a window,  where 
there  were  only  two  others  — Mistress  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  and  Mistress  Secre- 
tary of  the  War  Department  [Mrs.  Knox]. 

236 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


And  I assure  you  I thought  myself  as  much 
honored  as  the  dead  Indian  they  were  parading 
through  the  streets.” 

During  her  longer  residence  in  Philadelphia, 
surrounded  by  old  friends,  Mrs.  Washington 
evidently  led  a life  more  congenial  to  her  tastes 
than  that  in  New  York.  Notwithstanding  the 
testimony  of  such  intelligent  observers  as  Mr. 
Breck,  the  Duke  de  la  Rochefoucault  Liancourt, 
and  Mr.  Wansey,  with  regard  to  the  extrava- 
gance and  luxury  that  prevailed  in  this  city, 
there  was,  perhaps  in  consequence  of  the  large 
Quaker  element  in  the  community,  much  sim- 
plicity in  certain  circles  and  great  domesticity 
in  family  life.  This  homelike  atmosphere  ren- 
dered Philadelphia  especially  congenial  to  Mrs. 
Washington.  Many  of  the  well-to-do  residents 
of  the  narrow  strip  along  the  Delaware,  which 
then  constituted  the  city,  owned  country  places 
on  the  Schuylkill,  at  the  Fox  Chase,  and  in  and 
around  Germantown.  In  these  rural  homes  a 
hospitality  was  extended  that  must  often  have 
recalled  to  the  Virginia  woman  the  generous 
living  of  the  Old  Dominion.  Her  carriage  was 
frequently  to  be  seen  upon  the  roads  around 
Philadelphia,  when  she  was  on  her  way  to  visit 
Mrs.  Robert  Morris  at  her  country  seat,  The 
Hills,  or  Mrs.  John  Penn  at  Landsdowne,  or 
upon  the  Germantown  road  en  route  to  the 
237 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Logans  at  Stenton,  or  the  Chews  at  Cliveden. 
Mrs.  Washington  was  punctilious  in  observing 
the  good  old-time  custom  of  returning  her 
visits  on  the  third  day.  Miss  Binney  said  that 
when  she  called  upon  her  mother,  who  lived 
opposite,  Mrs.  Washington  was  always  escorted 
by  one  of  the  secretaries,  Mr.  Lear  or  Major 
Jackson.  These  gentlemen  also  accompanied 
the  President  upon  his  daily  constitutional, 
when  they  would  invariably  cross  to  the  sunny 
side  and  walk  down  Market  Street  together  in 
silence.  This  young  lady,  who,  from  her  win- 
dow, watched  the  three  handsome  gentlemen  in 
their  cocked  hats  and  picturesque  attire,  in  re- 
calling the  scenes  of  her  youth  for  the  benefit 
of  a later  generation,  says  that  she  often 
wondered  why  they  never  seemed  to  have 
anything  to  say  to  each  other,  knowing  that 
Washington  was  upon  most  friendly  terms  with 
his  two  secretaries. 

Visits  of  friendship,  as  well  as  of  ceremony, 
were  made  by  the  President  and  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton upon  such  families  as  the  Willings,  Bing- 
hams, and  Powels.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  Powel 
were  close  friends  of  the  Washingtons.  Mr. 
Samuel  Powel  was  a man  prominent  in  public 
life,  having  been  mayor  of  Philadelphia  before 
and  after  the  Revolution,  while  of  the  attrac- 
tions of  his  wife,  which  Mrs.  John  Adams  con- 

238 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


sidered  only  excelled  by  those  of  her  niece, 
Mrs.  Bingham,  the  New  England  lady  wrote  to 
her  daughter : “ Mrs.  Powell,  I join  the  general 
voice  in  pronouncing,  a very  interesting  woman. 
She  is  Aunt  to  Mrs.  Bingham,  and  is  one  of 
the  ladies  you  would  be  pleased  with.  She 
looks  turned  of  fifty,  is  polite  and  fluent  as  ^ou 
please,  motherly  and  friendly.  ...  Of  all  the 
ladies  I have  seen  and  conversed  with  here, 
Mrs.  Powell  is  the  best  informed.”  The  Powels 
lived  in  a large  house  then  numbered  112  South 
Third  Street. 

Mrs.  William  Bingham,  Mrs.  Walter  Stewart, 
Mrs.  Richard  Durdin,  and  Mrs.  John  Travis 
(one  of  the  lovely  Bond  sisters)  were  among 
the  Philadelphia  beauties  of  this  administra- 
tion. Mrs.  Durdin  was  an  intimate  friend  of 
the  Washingtons,  and  often  entertained  them 
at  her  house  on  Walnut  Street.  She  after- 
wards married  William  Lewis,  who  held  the 
positions  of  District  Attorney  and  District 
Judge  under  Washington.  Mr.  Lewis  began 
life  as  a Chester  County  farmer,  and  later  be- 
came so  distinguished  in  his  profession  that  he 
could  afford  to  entertain  his  friends  by  telling 
them  how  Alexander  Hamilton  had  once  out- 
witted him.  Another  great  lawyer,  who  lived 
on  Market  Street  above  Eighth,  was  William 
Rawle,  who  had  married  a lovely  Quakeress, 

239 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Sarah  Coates  Burge.  The  Washingtons  fre- 
quently dined  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rawle,  and 
upon  one  occasion,  while  his  “ elders  and  bet- 
ters ” were  at  dinner  in  the  early  afternoon,  as 
was  the  custom  in  those  days,  Mr.  Rawle’s  son 
William,  seeing  the  General’s  cocked  hat  and 
dress  sword  upon  the  hall  table,  put  the  hat  on 
his  head,  and  with  the  sword  in  his  hand 
stepped  out  into  the  street  and  strutted  up  and 
down,  to  the  great  amusement  of  the  small 
boys  in  the  neighborhood  and  of  the  passers-by 
in  general. 

Stories  of  this  old-time  social  life  have  floated 
down  to  us  in  diaries  and  letters  and  from 
family  traditions,  telling  of  informal  visits  made 
by  the  Washingtons  to  such  homes  as  those  of 
Myers  Fisher  at  Urie,  and  of  Judge  Peters  at 
Belmont.  Hours  of  rest  and  recreation  were 
those  passed  at  this  latter  beautiful  country 
seat,  amid  whose  shaded  avenues,  with  their 
charming  glimpses  of  the  river,  Washington’s 
thoughts  must  often  have  turned  to  his  own 
home  similarly  situated  upon  the  banks  of 
the  Potomac.  Here,  in  the  delightful  society 
of  the  witty  jurist,  he  could  forget  for  a time 
the  cares  of  state;  for  although  represented 
as  an  habitually  grave  man.  Washington  was 
by  no  means  averse  to  a joke,  and  Judge 
Peters’s  witticisms  possessed  the  admirable 

240 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


quality  of  amusing  without  leaving  a sting 
behind  them. 

The  Bordleys  lived  on  Union  Street,  near 
Third.  Elizabeth  Bordley  had  been  a school- 
mate of  Nelly  Custis  at  Annapolis,  and,  accom- 
panied by  a mutual  friend,  Martha  Coffin  from 
Portland,  had  spent  many  vacations  at  Mount 
Vernon.  These  three  friends  seem  to  have 
done  all  the  fond,  foolish  things  of  which  the 
old-fashioned  school  girl  was  capable.  They 
wrote  romantic  letter’s  to  each  other,  many 
verses  (especially  Miss  Bordley,  the  one  most 
favored  of  the  Muses),  and  finally  had  their  por- 
traits painted  for  each  member  of  the  trio.  To 
the  latter  fond  folly  this  generation  is  indebted 
for  three  lovely  pictures.  When  Miss  Bordley, 
afterwards  Mrs.  James  Gibson,  sent  hers,  which 
she  playfully  called  the  “ Rural  Lady,”  to  her 
friend  Martha  Coffin,  who  was  then  living  in 
Portland,  she  mailed  at  the  same  time  the 
following  verses : — 

“ You  ’ll  now  receive  the  ‘ Rural  Lady : ’ 

I fear  you  ’ll  think  her  face  too  shady ; 

But  that ’s  the  fancy  of  the  painter,  — 

A very  good  one,  by  the  bye,  — 

For  if  that  shade  were  any  fainter. 

The  wrinkles  would  appear,  — 0 fye ! ” 

While  Mrs.  Washington  was  in  Philadelphia 
she  had  her  older  granddaughters  with  her 

16  241 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


and  some  of  her  nieces.  Mr.  Adams,  in  one  of 
his  letters,  wrote : “ Mrs.  Washington  is  very- 
happy  at  present  in  a visit  from  her  two  grand- 
daughters, N’s  sisters,  as  I suppose  they  are. 
One  of  them  is  a fine,  blooming,  rosy  girl,  who, 
I dare  say,  has  had  more  liberty  and  exercise 
than  Nelly.”  The  “blooming,  rosy  girl”  was 
doubtless  Elizabeth  Custis,  whose  portrait  by 
Stuart  represents  a beautiful  young  woman. 
At  the  age  of  seventeen  she  married  Mr.  Law, 
a nephew  of  Lord  Ellenborough.  Mr.  Thomas 
Twining  speaks  of  meeting  Mrs.  Law  at  her 
grandmother’s  house  in  Philadelphia  soon  after 
her  marriage,  and  of  being  entertained  at  her 
own  home  near  Georgetown.  The  other  sister 
of  Nelly  Custis  was  Mrs.  Washington’s  name- 
sake, Martha.  Judge  Iredell  says,  in  writing 
of  a dinner  at  the  President’s,  “ There  is  now 
there  an  elderly  sister  of  Miss  Custis’s  not  so 
handsome  as  herself,  but  she  seems  to  be  very 
agreeable.”  This  “ elderly  sister,”  Martha 
Custis,  who  was  about  eighteen  at  the  time, 
became  the  wife  of  Mr.  Thomas  Peter  of 
Georgetown. 

When  these  young  people  were  in  the  house 
together  there  was  naturally  much  gayety  and 
happiness.  Mrs.  James  Gibson,  in  later  years, 
grew  quite  indignant  over  a newspaper  article 
in  which  it  was  stated  that  Washington  never 

242 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


danced.  She  said  that  he  was  exceedingly  fond 
of  the  society  of  young  people,  and  would  often 
leave  his  study  in  the  evening  to  enjoy  a Vir- 
ginia reel  with  Nelly  Custis  and  her  friends. 
To  Mrs.  Gibson,  who  could  be  grave  as  well  as 
gay,  we  are  indebted  for  a very  homelike  picture 
of  Mrs.  Washington  and  her  favorite  grand- 
daughter : — 

“ Mrs.  Washington  was  in  the  habit  of  retiring 
at  an  early  hour  to  her  own  room,  unless  detained 
by  company,  and  there,  no  matter  what  the  hour, 
Nellie  attended  her.  One  evening,  my  father’s  car- 
riage being  late  in  coming  for  me,  my  dear  young 
friend  invited  me  to  accompany  her  to  grandmama’s 
room.  There,  after  some  little  chat,  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington apologized  to  me  for  pursuing  her  usual 
preparations  for  the  night,  and  Nellie  entered  upon 
her  accustomed  duty  by  reading  a chapter  and 
a psalm  from  the  old  family  Bible,  after  which  all 
present  knelt  in  evening  prayer;  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton’s faithful  maid  then  assisted  her  to  disrobe  and 
lay  her  head  upon  the  pillow;  Nellie  then  sang  a 
verse  of  some  sweetly  soothing  hymn,  and  then, 
leaning  down,  received  the  parting  blessing  for  the 
night,  with  some  emphatic  remark  on  her  duties, 
improvements,  etc.  The  effect  of  these  judicious 
habits  and  teachings  appeared  in  the  granddaugh- 
ter’s character  through  life.” 

Twice,  while  Philadelphia  was  the  seat  of 
government,  was  that  city  visited  by  yellow 

243 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


fever.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Drinker  and  Jacob 
Hiltzheimer  both  dwell  upon  the  ravages  made 
among  their  friends  and  acquaintances  by  this 
dread  disease.  In  August,  1793,  there  were  a 
number  of  deaths,  and  from  this  time,  for 
some  years,  there  were  sporadic  cases  of  yellow 
fever,  until  the  frightful  epidemic  of  1798,  when 
Mr.  Hiltzheimer  lost  his  life. 

It  seems  strange,  as  we  now  look  back  upon 
it,  that  Mrs.  Lear’s  sudden  death,  late  in  July, 
1793,  did  not  cause  more  uneasiness  in  the 
Washington  household.  In  writing  of  the  event 
to  Mrs.  George  A.  Washington,  the  President 
does  not  mention  that  Mrs.  Lear  died  of  the 
prevailing  epidemic,  but  simply  says,  under 
date  of  July  29,  1793:  — 

“An  unfortunate  event,  which  took  place  in  this 
family  yesterday,  has  prevented  your  aunt  from 
writing  to  you  as  I expected  & she  intended.  — 
namely  the  death  of  Mrs.  Lear.  She  was  seized 
yesterday  week  in  a violent  manner  with  the  col- 
lick;  — This  brought  on  a high  fever,  which  put  a 
period  to  her  existence  between  4 & 5 o’clock  yes- 
terday afternoon,  to  the  grief  of  all  the  family  as  she 
was  an  amiable  & inoffensive  little  woman.”  1 

1 It  is  a rather  curious  coincidence  that  this  letter  of  the 
President’s  was  written  to  the  woman  who  was  destined  to  be- 
come Mr.  Lear’s  second  wife.  Mrs.  George  A.  Washington 
was  a widow  at  the  time,  and  in  August,  1795,  married  Mr. 
Lear.  Upon  the  death  of  his  second  wife,  Mr.  Lear  showed 
244 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tobias  Lear  lived  in  the  same 
house  with  the  Washingtons,  and  were  upon 
the  most  intimate  terms  with  them.  Mrs.  Lear, 
whom  Mr.  Lear  had  known  from  his  boyhood, 
was  a New  England  girl,  a daughter  of  Captain 
Long,  of  Portsmouth.  In  writing  of  her  death 
to  his  wife,  Judge  Iredell  says  : — 

“We  have  lately  had  a very  affecting  death  in 
this  city.  Mrs.  Lear,  the  wife  of  Mr.  Lear,  the 
President’s  secretary,  died  on  Sunday  last  after  a 
short  but  very  severe  illness.  She  was  ouly  23,  and 
beloved  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  her,  and 
she  and  her  husband  had  been  fond  of  one  another 
from  infancy. 

“He  attended  the  funeral  himself,  and  so  did  the 
President  and  Mrs.  Washington.  Mr.  Hamilton, 
Mr.  Jefferson,  General  Knox,  Judge  Wilson,  Judge 
Peters  and  myself  were  pallbearers.” 

Great  anxiety  was  felt  by  the  President’s 
friends  during  the  epidemic  of  1793,  as  he  could 
not  be  induced  to  quit  his  post  until  September, 
when  he  was  finally  prevailed  upon  to  retire  to 
Mount  Vernon  for  a few  weeks.  The  next 
summer,  Washington’s  official  duties  not  per- 

his  partiality  for  Mrs.  Washington’s  family  by  marrying  an- 
other of  her  nieces,  a great  niece  this  time,  Fanny  Henley. 
This  lady  survived  her  husband  for  many  years,  living  until 
1856,  and  is  still  veil  remembered  by  many  residents  of 
Washington  City. 


245 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


mitting  him  to  make  more  than  a flying  visit 
to  his  Virginia  home,  a house  in  Germantown 
was  taken,  where  he  and  his  family  remained 
from  J uly  until  late  in  September.1  This  sum- 
mer, Mrs.  Washington  wrote  to  her  widowed 
niece,  Mrs.  George  A.  Washington:2  — 

“ It  would  my  dear  Fanny  be  particularly  pleas- 
ing to  me  to  come  home  this  summer  if  it  was 
convenient  the  President  thinks  that  the  publick 
business  will  keep  him  in  this  place  all  the  sum- 
mer— and  it  would  not  be  agreeable  to  me  to  stay 
at  Mount  Vernon  without  him  — Mr.  Pearce' liv- 
ing in  the  family  would  make  it  very  inconvenient, 
— as  we  should  be  obliged  to  bring  servants  with 
us  we  could  not  find  room  for  them  when  the  Ser- 
vants Hall  is  occupied  with  a large  family  if  I 
could  bear  the  journey  I should  like  to  make  you  a 
flying  visit  but  that  you  know  I cannot  as  I am 
always  so  much  fatigued  after  I get  home  for  sev- 
eral days  — that  I could  not  think  of  setting  out 
again  for  some  time  — I do  not  know  what  keys 
you  have — it  is  highly  necessary  that  the  beds 
and  bed  cloths  of  all  kinds  should  be  aired  if  you 
have  the  keys  I beg  you  will  make  Caroline  put  all 
the  things  of  every  kind  out  to  air  and  Brush  and 
clean  all  the  places  and  rooms  that  they  were  in  — 

1 This  fine  old  mansion  upon  the  Main  Street,  opposite 
Market  Square,  is  still  in  good  preservation,  and  is  now  the 
residence  of  Mr.  Elliston  P.  Morris. 

2 From  facsimile  in  possession  of  the  Oneida  Historical 
Society,  Utica,  N.  Y. 


2-16 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


the  President  has  hopes  of  seeing  Mount  Vernon 
soon  he  cannot  fix  the  time  till  after  the  Congress 
is  up  they  talk  of  rising  in  the  course  of  this  week 
hut  I dont  know  whether  it  is  certain  or  not  — the 
Members  are  going  off  every  day  — the  house  is  I 
believe  pretty  thin  at  this  time.” 

From  this  letter  it  appears  that  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington kept  her  household  well  in  hand,  when 
she  was  away  from  home  as  well  as  when  she 
was  upon  the  premises.  In  another  letter 
written  to  the  same  niece,  who  seems  to  have 
lived  in  Alexandria  after  her  husband’s  death, 
occur  some  expressions  which  reveal  the  fact 
that  the  young  widow  had  already  consulted 
her  aunt  with  regard  to  a second  matrimonial 
alliance : 1 — 

Philadelphia,  Sept.  29,  1794. 

My  Dear  Fannie, — I am  sorry  to  find  by  your 
letter  of  the  24th  that  your  children  are  still  com- 
plaining and  hope  the  cool  weather  and  change  of 
air  — if  you  take  them  up  to  Berkley  — will  per- 
fect their  cure.  The  weather  has  been  uncommonly 
hot  here  which  has  made  it  very  sickly  in  the  town 
and  neighborhood.  It  has  several  times  been  re- 
ported that  the  yellow  fever  is  in  the  city  — one 

1 This  letter  was  found,  during  the  late  war,  in  the  house 
of  a Mr.  Washington,  near  Winchester,  Va.,  by  Mr.  Adrien 
Foote  of  Ashland,  Mass.,  in  which  latter  place  it  is  still  to 
be  seen,  with  several  other  letters  written  by  Mrs,  Washing- 
ton from  Philadelphia.  As  given  here  it  has  been  carefully 
edited. 


247 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


doctor  says  it  is  in  town  and  another  says  it  is  not 
— several  people  have  died  with  different  com- 
plaints. I hope  the  cool  weather  will  carry  off 
fevers  of  every  kind.  Sore  throats  among  the  chil- 
dren have  been  fatal  in  many  cases.  Many  have 
died  with  that  complaint. 

The  President  desires  me  to  tell  you  he  has  not 
been  unmindful  of  his  promise  to  take  Fayette. 
He  only  waits  ’till  he  is  old  enough  to  be  put  to  a 
good  school  in  this  city.  There  are  no  schools  but 
the  college  and  that  is  a very  indifferent  one  for 
big  boys  — little  ones  are  not  attended  to  at  all,  as 
you  find  by  Hr.  Stuart’s  complaint  of  my  grandson. 
He  attends  as  constant  as  the  day  comes,  but  he 
does  not  learn  as  much  as  he  might  if  the  master 
took  proper  care  to  make  the  children  attentive  to 
their  books. 

My  dear  Fannie,  I wish  I could  give  you  uner- 
ring advice  in  regard  to  the  request  contained  in 
your  last  letter.  I really  don’t  know  what  to  say 
to  you  on  the  subject.  You  must  be  governed  by 
your  own  judgment  and  I trust  Providence  will 
direct  you  for  the  best;  it  is  a matter  more  inter- 
esting to  yourself  than  any  other.  The  person 
contemplated  is  a worthy  man,  and  esteemed  by 
everyone  that  is  acquainted  with  him;  he  has,  it  is 
conceived,  fair  prospects  before  him ; — is,  I be- 
lieve, very  industrious,  and  will,  I have  not  a 
doubt,  make  something  handsome  for  himself  — as 
to  the  President,  he  never  has,  nor  never  will,  as 
you  have  often  heard  him  say,  intermeddle  in  mat- 
248 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


rimonial  concerns;  he  joins  with  me,  however,  in 
wishing  you  every  happiness  this  world  can  give. 
You  have  had  a long  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Lear, 
and  must  know  him  as  well  as  I do.  He  always 
appeared  very  attentive  to  his  wife  and  child,  as 
far  as  ever  I have  seen.  He  is,  I believe,  a man  of 
strict  honor  and  probity  and  one  with  whom  you 
would  have  as  good  a prospect  of  happiness  as  with 
any  one  I know,  but  beg  you  will  not  let  anything 
I say  influence  you  either  way.  The  President  has 
a very  high  opinion  of,  and  friendship  for  Mr.  Lear, 
and  has  not  the  least  objection  to  your  forming  the 
connection,  but  no  more  than  myself,  would  not 
wish  to  influence  your  judgment  either  way,  yours 
and  the  children’s  good  being  among  the  first  wishes 
of  my  heart. 

The  insurgents  in  the  back  country  have  carried 
matters  so  high  that  the  President  has  been  obliged 
to  send  a large  body  of  men  to  settle  the  matter, 
and  is  to  go  himself  tomorrow  to  Carlyle  to  meet 
the  troops.  God  knows  when  he  will  return  again. 
I shall  be  left  quite  alone  with  the  children. 
Should  you  go  to  Berkley,  be  so  good  as  to  send 
the  keys  you  have  of  our  house  to  Mr.  Pearce,  in 
case  the  President  should  take  Mount  Vernon  in, 
on  his  way  back  to  this  place.  My  love  and  good 
wishes  attend  you,  in  which  the  President  joins  me, 
with  love  to  the  children,  also,  my  dear  Fannie,  and 
believe  me  with  sincere  wishes  for  your  happiness, 
Your  ever  affectionate, 

M.  Washington. 


249 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


This  letter  was  written  when  the  President 
was  about  to  set  forth  with  the  militia  which 
had  been  raised  to  quell  the  formidable  revolt 
in  the  western  part  of  the  state,  known  as  the 
“ Whiskey  Rebellion.”  The  troops,  fifteen 
thousand  in  number,  were  placed  in  command 
of  General  Harry  Lee,  then  Governor  of  Vir- 
ginia, Washington  himself  accompanying  them 
as  far  as  Bedford. 

Writing  to  her  niece  a little  later,  Mrs. 
Washington  says : — 

“Your  happiness,  my  dear  Fanny,  is,  I assure 
you,  very  dear  to  the  President  and  myself.  I have 
no  doubt  but  you  have  considered  well  what  you 
are  about  to  undertake,  and  I hope  that  the  same 
Providence  that  has  hitherto  taken  care  of  you  will 
still  be  your  guardian  angel  to  protect  and  direct 
you  in  all  your  undertakings,  you  have  my  fervent 
prayers  for  your  happiness.  . . . shall  give  Mrs. 
Izard  a letter  for  you  which  she  will  send  to  you  as 
soon  as  she  gets  to  Alexandria.  Mrs.  Merrigold 
[Manigault]  is  her  daughter  and  they  will,  I ex- 
pect, go  all  together  to  Mount  Vernon.  I will,  when 
I write  next  week,  give  you  all  the  information  I 
can  as  to  the  time  they  expect  to  get  to  Georgetown. 
Mr.  Lear  is  very  well  acquainted  with  the  ladies 
and  gentlemen.  If  he  will  be  so  good  as  to  let  you 
know  when  they  arrive  at  the  city  and  go  down 
with  them  it  would  be  more  agreeable  to  them,  as 
ho  would  be  able  to  walk  about  with  them.” 


250 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


In  another  letter,  the  mistress  of  Mount 
Vernon  reveals  her  never  failing  hospitality 
and  kindness,  in  making  arrangements  to  have 
these  ladies  visit  her  home  : 1 — 

Philadelphia  October  the  22n.?  179-1 

My  Dear  Danny, — I expect  that  this  letter 
will  be  handed  to  you  by  Mrs.  Izard  — the  lady 
that  I mentioned  to  you  in  my  letter  of  the  19“'  of 
this  month,  — she  has  a desire  to  see  Mount  Ver- 
non — if  you  could  make  it  convenient  to  yourself, 
I shall  be  much  obliged  to  you  to  go  down  with  the 
Ladys  to  Mount  Vernon,  as  I wish  everything  thair 
to  he  made  as  agreable  to  them  as  possible  — the 
notice  is  short,  Mrs.  Izard  is  a very  agreable  Lady 
and  her  family  amiable,  — we  have  been  acquainted 
ever  since  I went  up  to  New  York  — I should 
be  very  much  gratified  to  hear  that  the  Ladies 
of  Alexandria  shows  the  Ladies  sevility  — if  they 
should  he  obliged  to  make  any  stay  thair — -you 
will  find  them  all  very  agreeable,  Miss  Izard  has 
been  long  a friend  of  Nellys  — Do  my  dear  Fanny 
have  everything  as  good  as  you  can  for  them,  and 
put  up  any  little  thing  that  may  be  necessary  for 
the  children  on  the  road  — I send  you  a fashionable 
cape  & Border  — if  you  will  scollop  or  over  cast  the 
borders  it  will  add  to  their  beauty  — my  love  & 
good  wishes  attend  you  & the  children. 

I am,  my  dear  Fanny,  your  ever  affectionate 

M.  Washington. 

1 From  original  in  possession  of  Mr.  Ferdinand  J.  Dreer, 
of  Philadelphia. 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


In  the  summer  of  1796  the  Washingtons 
entertained  a number  of  guests  at  Mount  Ver- 
non, among  them  the  Marquis  de  Yrujo,  Minis- 
ter from  Spain,  and  young  Lafayette  with  his 
tutor,  M.  Frestel.  George  Washington  Lafay- 
ette came  to  the  United  States  in  1795.  From 
Boston  he  wrote  to  the  President,  and  although 
for  reasons  of  state  the  latter  deemed  it  inad- 
visable to  invite  him  to  his  house  at  that  time, 
he  wrote  to  him  : “ I received  your  letter  from 
Boston ; and,  with  the  heart  of  affection  I wel- 
come you  to  this  country.”  The  young  noble- 
man lived  quietly  in  Philadelphia  until  the 
spring  of  1797,  when,  upon  Washington’s  re- 
tirement from  office,  he  was  received  into  the 
family  at  Mount  Vernon  like  an  own  child,  and 
remained  with  the  President  and  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington until  the  following  autumn,  when,  hear- 
ing of  the  release  of  his  father  from  prison, 
he  and  his  tutor  parted  with  their  American 
friends  and  sailed  from  New  York.1  Mrs. 
George  A.  Washington  visited  her  aunt  in  Phil- 
adelphia, and  another  young  relative  whom 
Mrs.  Washington  calls  Betsey  Custis,  as  appears 
from  the  following  letter  : 2 — 


1 From  unpublished  sheets  of  Washington  after  the  Revo- 
lution, by  William  S.  Baker,  of  Philadelphia. 

2 From  original  in  possession  of  the  Oneida  Historical 
Society. 


252 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


Philadelphia,  April  the  5th.,  1795. 

My  Dear  Faxxy,  — I was  exceedingly  pleased 
to  hear  by  Mr.  Lear  that  you  was  arrived  safe  at 
home.  The  roads  are  not  so  bad  down  the  country 
as  they  are  here.  If  they  had  been  anything  like 
the  roads  in  this  part  of  the  country,  it  would  have 
been  very  difficult  for  you  to  have  got  on. 

I am  sorry  to  find  by  your  letter  of  the  21st  of 
March  that  your  brother  is  disappointed  in  his  elec- 
tion. I see  by  the  Richmond  paper  that  Mr.  Clop- 
ton  is  the  representative.  I am  sorry  to  hear  that 
Mrs.  M.  Bassett  enjoys  such  bad  health,  and  she 
can  have  verj^  little  pleasure  if  her  life  be  always 
indisposed.  They  have  tried  the  Sweet  Springs  — 
wish  they  would  try  a northern  trip,  as  they  might 
then  be  able  to  judge  which  air  would  be  best  for 
them.  Young  folks  will  have  their  own  way. 

I had  all  your  things  done  and  put  on  board  of  a 
vessel  with  several  things  of  Mr.  Peters,  and  am 
surprised  that  you  have  not  got  them,  as  Mr.  Lear 
told  me  that  the  vessel  was  arrived.  Your  two 
boxes  were  directed  to  the  care  of  Col.  Gilning. 
I hope  you  have  got  them  by  this  time.  I was 
anxious  to  have  them  done  by  the  time  you  came 
up.  I hope  your  gowns  will  fit  and  are  made  as 
you  like.  There  was  no  silk  to  be  got  nearer  the 
colour  that  you  mentioned,  than  the  one  sent;  I 
thought  it  a very  pretty  one. 

I am  very  much  grieved  to  hear  that  my  poor 
sister  is  in  such  a wretched  situation  . . . Poor 
dear  Betty  has  had  a hard  lot  in  this  world.  I hope 
253 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


her  children  will  he  a comfort  to  her  as  they  grow 
up  and  not  follow  their  unhappy  Father’s  bad  ex- 
ample.1 I often  think  of  her  with  the  greatest 
concern.  I should  be  very  glad  if  it  could  so  hap- 
pen that  she  would  come  up  to  see  me  when  I go 
home.  She  is  in  such  distress  that  I fear  she  will 
never  have  resolution  to  leave  her  children  to  come 
so  long  a journey.  I shall  let  her  know  when  I 
am  coming  home.  If  she  can  come,  your  brother 
B.  promised  to  let  her  have  a man  servant  to  bring 
her  up.  It  gives  me  pleasure,  my  dear  Fanny  to 
hear  that  your  children  are  well,  and  I think  it 
very  proper  that  Maria  and  Fayette  are  put  to 
school,  as  they  will  learn  much  better  at  school 
than  at  home  if  the  teacher  is  tolerably  good. 

Mr.  Lear  arrived  here  on  Thursday  and  intends 
to  set  out  to-morrow  to  the  eastward. 

Betsy  Custis  told  me  she  wished  to  stay  with  me 
and  I wrote  to  her  Mother  for  her  permission  which 
she  readily  gave.  She  seemed  to  be  very  grave.  I 
was  in  hopes  that  being  in  the  gay  world  would 
have  a good  effect  on  her,  but  she  seems  to  wish  to 
be  at  home  and  very  much  by  herself.  She  takes 
no  delight  to  go  out  to  visit : she  would  not  go  with 
Nelly  and  myself  to  the  assembly  last  week.  She 
don’t  like  to  go  to  church  every  Sunday : thinks  it 
too  fatiguing.  She  often  complains  of  not  feeling 
well.  She  took  ill  when  she  first  came  here,  but  is 
much  better,  and  looks  better.  The  girls  are  to  go 

1 Mrs.  Washington,  in  her  will,  left  money  for  the  educa- 
tion  of  these  children. 


25d 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


to  Miss  Morris’  wedding  on  Thursday  next.  She 
is  to  be  married  to  one  of  our  countrymen,  Mr. 
James  Marshall.1  Col.  Humphreys  has  made  us  a 
short  visit : he  has  just  taken  leave  of  us  to  return 
to  Portugal  again. 

Thank  God  we  are  all  well.  The  President  ex- 
pects to  set  out  on  Monday,  the  the  14th  to  visit 
Mount  Vernon. 

The  girls  send  their  love  to  you.  The  President 
joins  me  in  love  to  you  and  your  children. 

I am  my  Dear  Fanny  your  ever  affectionate 

M Washington. 

Miss  Chambers,  like  Miss  Bordley,  enter- 
tained a sincere  admiration  for  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton. In  one  of  her  clever,  gossiping  letters 
to  her  mother,  she  says : — 

“In  a previous  letter,  I wrote  of  being  at  the 
President’s,  and  my  admiration  of  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington. 

“ Yesterday  Colonel  Proctor  informed  me  that  her 
carriage  was  at  the  door,  and  a servant  inquiring 
for  me.  . . . After  the  usual  compliments  and  some 
conversation  she  gave  me  a pressing  invitation  to 
spend  the  day  with  her,  and  so  perfectly  friendly 
were  her  manners,  I found  myself  irresistibly  at- 
tached to  her.  On  taking  leave,  she  observed  a 
portrait  of  the  President  hanging  over  the  fire- 

1 This  was  a daughter  of  Robert  Morris,  who  married 
James  Marshall,  a brother  of  the  Chief  Justice. 

255 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


place,  and  said  ‘ She  had  never  seen  a correct  like- 
ness of  General  Washington.  The  only  merit  the 
numerous  portraits  of  him  possessed,  was  their 
resemblance  to  each  other.’  ” 

True  as  this  last  observation  seems  to  be 
with  regard  to  the  portraits  of  the  General, 
a similar  criticism  cannot  be  applied  to 
those  of  Mrs.  Washington,  as  those  of  Stuart, 
Robertson,  Pine,  and  the  three  Peales,  are 
all  unlike.  Mr.  James  Peale,  a brother  of 
Charles  Willson  Peale,  was  engaged  to  paint 
a portrait  or  miniature  of  Mrs.  Washington 
while  she  was  living  in  Philadelphia.  The 
hour  named  for  the  first  sitting  was  seven  in 
the  morning.  Mr.  Peale  made  his  toilet  with 
great  care  and  stepped  around  to  the  house 
on  Market  Street ; but  feeling  some  hesitation 
about  presenting  himself  at  so  early  an  hour 
before  a lady  of  such  distinction,  he  took  a 
turn  down  the  street  and  back  before  he  could 
make  up  his  mind  to  sound  the  brass  knocker. 
When  he  did  so  the  door  was  at  once  opened 
and  the  artist  shown  into  the  drawing-room, 
where  Mrs.  Washington  received  him  with  her 
usual  kindliness  and  dignity ; but  punctuality 
being  the  rule  of  the  house,  she  looked  at  the 
clock  and  reminded  Mr.  Peale  that  he  was  late. 
To  this  the  artist  replied  that  he  had  hesitated 
to  disturb  Mrs.  Washington  at  so  early  an  hour 

256 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


as  seven ; -whereupon  the  energetic  little  lady- 
assured  him  that  she  had  already  attended 
family  worship,  given  Miss  Custis  a music 
lesson,  and  read  the  newspaper  while  she  was 
waiting  for  him. 

Gilbert  Stuart’s  third  original  portrait  of 
Washington,  destined  to  become  one  of  the  most 
famous  of  his  works,  was  a bust-portrait,  for 
which  he  consented  to  sit  at  the  solicitation  of 
his  wife,  of  whom  the  artist  painted  a com- 
panion portrait  during  the  spring  and  summer 
of  1798.  Stuart’s  time  was  so  constantly  broken 
in  upon  by  visitors  that  in  order  to  secure  un- 
interrupted hours  for  his  work  he  was  obliged 
to  leave  his  studio  on  Chestnut  Street.  He 
removed  to  Germantown,  where  he  fitted  up  a 
barn  for  a studio,  in  which  novel  atelier  the 
Athenseum  portraits  of  the  President  and  Mrs. 
Washington  were  executed.  Neither  of  these 
beautiful  portraits  was  ever  finished,  and  per- 
haps to  this  circumstance  they  owe  some  of 
their  delicacy  and  charm.  That  of  Washington, 
the  artist  kept  in  his  Germantown  quarters, 
making  numerous  copies  from  it,  calling  it 
his  one  hundred  dollar  bill,  and  whether  with 
the  desire  of  making  money  by  it,  or  because 
he  was  attached  to  a work  which  was  a true 
inspiration  of  genius,  persistently  excusing  him- 
self from  giving  it  up,  until  the  patience  of  its 

17  257 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


owner  was  quite  exhausted,  and  he  finally 
accepted  a copy  in  place  of  the  original.  It 
was  while  Gilbert  Stuart  was  living  in  German- 
town that  the  President  and  Mrs.  Washington 
made  so  many  visits  to  his  studio,  and  “ here,” 
says  Miss  Jane  Stuart,  “ he  painted  many  of 
the  beautiful  portraits  that  have  come  down  to 
us.”  Nelly  Custis,  Mrs.  Law,  Miss  Harriet 
Chew  (afterward  Mrs.  Carroll),  generally  accom- 
panied Mrs.  Washington,  while  General  Knox, 
General  Henry  Lee,  and  other  friends  often 
came  to  the  studio  with  the  President. 

Of  the  last  birthday  that  the  Washingtons 
spent  in  Philadelphia,  Judge  Iredell  wrote : 

“The  President’s  birthday  was  celebrated  here 
with  every  possible  mark  of  attachment,  affection 
and  respect,  rendered  affecting  beyond  all  expres- 
sion, by  its  being  in  some  degree  a parting  scene. 
Mrs.  Washington  was  moved  even  to  tears,  with 
the  mingled  emotions  of  gratitude  for  such  strong 
proofs  of  public  regard,  and  the  new  prospect  of  the 
uninterrupted  enjoyment  of  domestic  life  : she  ex- 
pressed herself  something  to  this  effect.  I never 
saw  the  President  look  better,  or  in  finer  spirits, 
but  his  emotions  were  too  powerful  to  be  concealed. 
He  could  sometimes  scarcely  speak.  Three  rooms 
of  his  house  were  almost  entirely  full  from  12  to  3, 
and  such  a crowd  at  the  door  it  was  difficult  to  get 
in.  At  the  Amphitheatre  at  night  it  is  supposed 
258 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


there  was  at  least  1200  persons.  The  show  was  a 
brilliant  one,  but  such  scrambling  to  go  to  supper 
that  there  was  some  danger  of  being  squeezed  to 
death.  The  Vice  President  handed  in  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington, and  the  President  immediately  followed. 
The  applause  with  which  they  were  received  is  in- 
describable. The  same  was  shown  on  their  return 
from  supper.  The  music  added  greatly  to  the 
interest  of  the  scene.  The  President  staid  till 
between  12  and  1.” 

From  the  numerous  letters  that  passed  be- 
tween John  Adams  and  his  wife,  it  appears 
that  she  was  very  little  in  Philadelphia  during 
the  latter  years  of  the  administration.  To  the 
pen  of  the  President-elect  we  are  indebted  for 
many  glimpses  of  the  Washingtons  during  the 
last  months  of  their  official  life.  In  one  letter 
he  says,  “ The  old  hero  looks  very  grave  of 
late ; ” and  again,  when  the  question  of  his  own 
succession  to  the  chief  magistracy  was  definitely 
settled,  he  wrote  : — 

“On  Tuesday,  when  I waited,  as  usual,  on  Mrs. 
Washington,  after  attending  the  levee,  she  compli- 
mented me  very  complaisantly  and  affectionately 
on  my  election,  and  went  farther,  and  said  more 
than  I expected.  She  said  it  gave  them  great 
pleasure  to  find  that  the  votes  had  turned  in  my 
favor,  &c.  I doubted  whether  their  prudence 
would  have  ventured  so  far.” 


259 


MARTIIA  WASHINGTON 


From  this  and  other  accounts,  it  appears 
that  Mrs.  Washington  was  usually  in  her 
drawing-room  up-stairs,  during  the  hours  of 
the  President’s  levees,  and  there  received  any 
of  his  guests  who  desired  to  pay  their  re- 
spects to  her.  In  all  the  letters  of  Mr.  Adams 
written  at  this  time  there  is  a note  of  admira- 
tion and  affection  for  this  couple.  In  writing 
of  his  own  inauguration  on  the  fourth  of 
March,  he  says  : — ■ 

“A  solemn  scene  it  was  indeed,  and  it  was  made 
more  affecting  to  me  by  the  presence  of  the  Gen’l 
whose  countenance  was  as  serene  and  unclouded  as 
the  day.  He  seemed  to  me,  to  enjoy  a triumph  over 
me.  Methought  I heard  him  say,  ‘ Ay!  I am  fairly 
out  and  you  fairly  in!  See  which  of  us  will  be 
happiest.’  . . . 

“ In  the  chamber  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives was  a multitude  as  great  as  the  space  could 
contain;  and  I believe,  scarcely  a dry  eye,  but 
Washington’s.  The  sight  of  the  sun  setting,  full- 
orbed,  and  another  rising,  though  less  splendid, 
was  a novelty.  Chief  Justice  Ellsworth  adminis- 
tered the  oath,  and  with  great  energy.  Judges 
Cushing,  Wilson  and  Iredell  were  present.  Many 
ladies.” 

Among  these  ladies  was  Nelly  Custis.  Mrs. 
Washington  does  not  seem  to  have  been  present. 
In  writing  of  this  scene  Mrs.  Susan  R.  Echard, 
260 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


an  eye-witness,  says  that  Miss  Custis  was  so 
much  agitated  that  “ she  could  not  trust  her- 
self to  be  near  her  honored  grandfather.” 
This  same  narrator  adds:  — 

“There  was  a narrow  passage  from  the  door  of 
entrance  to  the  room,  which  was  on  the  east,  divid- 
ing the  rows  of  benches.  General  Washington 
stopped  at  the  end  to  let  Mr.  Adams  pass  to  the 
chair.  The  latter  always  wore  a full  suit  of  bright 
drab  with  lash  or  loose  cuffs  to  his  coat.  He  al- 
ways wore  wrist  ruffles.  He  had  not  changed  his 
fashions.  He  was  a short  man  with  a good  head.  . . . 

“General  Washington’s  dress  was  a full  suit  of 
black.  His  military  hat  had  a black  cockade. 

“There  was  no  cheering,  no  noise;  the  most 
profound  silence  greeted  him,  as  if  the  great  as- 
sembly desired  to  hear  him  breathe,  and  catch  his 
breath  in  homage  of  their  hearts.  Mr.  Adams  cov- 
ered his  face  with  both  his  hands;  the  sleeves  of 
his  coat,  and  his  hands  were  covered  with  tears. 
Every  now  and  then  there  was  a suppressed  sob. 
I cannot  describe  Washington’s  appearance  as  I 
felt  it — perfectly  composed  and  self-possessed  till 
the  end  of  his  address:  Then,  when  strong  ner- 
vous sobs  broke  loose,  when  tears  covered  the 
faces,  then  the  great  man  was  shaken.  I never 
took  my  eyes  from  his  face.  Large  drops  came 
from  his  eyes.” 

The  day  before  his  retirement  from  public 
life,  a large  dinner  was  given  by  the  President. 

261 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


The  foreign  ministers  and  their  wives,  Mr. 
Adams,  Mr.  Jefferson,  and  many  other  dis- 
tinguished persons  were  present.  Bishop 
White,  who  was  one  of  the  company,  has 
left  the  following  touching  description  of  the 
scene : — 

“During  the  dinner  much  hilarity  prevailed; 
hut  on  the  removal  of  the  cloth  it  was  put  an  end 
to  by  the  President:  certainly  without  design. 
Having  tilled  his  glass,  he  addressed  the  com- 
pany, with  a smile  on  his  countenance,  as  nearly 
as  can  be  recollected  in  the  following  terms : 
‘Ladies  and  gentlemen,  this  is  the  last  time  I 
shall  drink  your  health  as  a public  man.  I do 
it  with  sincerity,  and  -wishing  you  all  possible 
happiness.’  There  was  an  end  of  all  pleasantry. 
He  who  gives  this  relation  accidentally  directed 
his  eye  to  the  lady  of  the  British  minister  (Mrs. 
Liston)  and  tears  were  running  down  her  cheeks.” 

On  the  eighth,  the  ex-President  called  to 
make  his  farewell  visit  upon  Mr.  Adams,  and 
to  leave  his  own  and  Mrs.  Washington’s  re- 
spects for  Mrs.  Adams.  The  next  day  the 
General  and  Mrs.  Washington,  accompanied 
by  Miss  Custis,  young  Lafayette  and  his  tutor, 
set  forth  for  Mount  Vernon.  In  Baltimore 
they  were  received  with  enthusiastic  demon- 
strations, and  met,  says  one  of  the  journals  of 
the  day,  by  “ as  great  a concourse  of  people 
262 


PHILADELPHIA  THE  CAPITAL 


as  Baltimore  ever  witnessed,”  including  a de- 
tachment of  Captain  Hollingsworth’s  troop, 
which  escorted  the  distinguished  visitors  to 
their  stopping-place,  the  Fountain  Inn,  amid 
“ reiterated  and  thundering  huzzas  from  the 
spectators.” 

A few  days  later  Miss  Custis  wrote  to  her 
friend,  Mrs.  Oliver  Wolcott:  — 

“We  arrived  here  on  Wednesday  without  any 
accident  after  a tedious  journey  of  seven  days. 
Grandpapa  is  very  well  and  much  pleased  with 
being  once  more  Farmer  Washington.” 


263 


XI 


LAST  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 

“ I cannot  tell  you,  my  dear  friend,”  wrote 
Mrs.  Washington  to  Mrs.  Knox  soon  after  her 
return  to  Mount  Vernon,  “how  much  I enjoy 
home  after  having  been  deprived  of  one  so  long, 
for  our  dwelling  in  New  York  and  Philadel- 
phia was  not  home,  only  a sojourning.  The 
General  and  I feel  like  children  just  released 
from  school  or  from  a hard  taskmaster,  and  we 
believe  that  nothing  can  tempt  us  to  leave  the 
sacred  roof  tree  again,  except  on  private  busi- 
ness or  pleasure.  We  are  so  penurious  with 
our  enjoyment  that  we  are  loath  to  share  it 
with  any  one  but  dear  friends,  yet  almost  every 
day  some  stranger  claims  a portion  of  it,  and 
we  cannot  refuse.  Nelly  and  I are  compan- 
ions. Washington  [G.  W.  P.  Custis]  is  yet  at 
Princeton  and  doing  well.  Mrs.  Law  and 
Mrs.  Peter  are  often  with  us,  and  my  dear 
niece  Fanny  Washington,  who  is  a widdow, 
lives  at  Alexandria  only  a few  miles  from 

264 


LAST  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


us.1  Our  furniture  and  other  things  sent  us 
from  Philadelphia  arrived  safely,  our  plate  we 
brought  with  us  in  the  carriage.  How  many 
dear  friends  I have  left  behind  ! They  fill  my 
memory  with  sweet  thoughts.  Shall  I ever  see 
them  again  ? Not  likely  unless  they  shall  come 
to  me  here,  for  the  twilight  is  gathering  around 
our  lives.  I am  again  fairly  settled  down  to 
the  pleasant  duties  of  an  old-fashioned  Virginia 
house-keeper,  steady  as  a clock,  busy  as  a bee, 
and  cheerful  as  a cricket.” 

This  letter  was  evidently  dictated  by  Mrs. 
Washington,  or  written  for  her  by  her  hus- 
band, as  were  most  of  her  letters  at  this  time. 
Writing  seems  to  have  become  more  and  more 
of  a burden  to  her,  and  the  General,  whose  pen 
never  rested,  often  relieved  his  wife  of  this 
task,  even  in  her  correspondence  with  intimate 
friends. 

Many  repairs  were  necessary  at  Mount  Ver- 
non after  the  eight  years’  absence  of  its  master 
and  mistress.  Washington  wrote  to  Dr.  James 
McHenry,  “ I have  scarcely  a room  to  put  a 
friend  into,  or  to  sit  in  myself,  without  the 
music  of  hammers,  or  the  odoriferous  scent 
of  paint.”  A little  later  he  wrote  to  his 

1 It  is  a rather  curious  circumstance  that  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton should  speak  of  her  niece  Fanny  as  “a  widdow,”  when 
she  had  been  for  several  years  the  wife  of  Mr.  Lear. 

265 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


adopted  son,  then  at  college,  “Your  mamma 
went  from  here  (with  your  sister  Nelly)  to 
Hope  Park  on  Wednesday  and  is  as  well  as 
usual.  Your  sister  Law  and  child,  were  well 
on  that  day ; and  Mr.,  Mrs.  and  Eleanor  Peter 
are  all  well  at  this  place  now,  and  many  others 
in  the  house,  among  whom  are  Mr.  Volney 
and  Mr.  William  Morris.”  Other  guests  who 
visited  Mount  Vernon  about  this  time  were 
General  Spotswood  and  his  wife ; Mr.  Thomas 
Adams,  a son  of  the  President;  the  British 
minister  and  his  wife,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Liston ; 
Charles  Cari'oll,  Jr.,  of  Carrollton  ; and  Mr. 
Benjamin  Latrobe.  The  latter  visitor,  a friend 
of  Judge  Bushrod  Washington’s,  gives  an  inter- 
esting picture  of  Mrs.  Washington  as  she  then 
appeared.  He  says  that  after  the  General  had 
conversed  most  agreeably  with  him  for  two 
hours,  he  strolled  about  the  lawn,  took  a few 
sketches  of  the  house,  and  upon  his  return  to 
it  found  Mrs.  Washington  and  Miss  Custis  in 
the  hall. 

“I  introduced  myself  to  Mrs.  Washington,  as 
the  friend  of  her  nephew,  and  she  immediately  en- 
tered into  conversation  upon  the  prospect  from  the 
lawn,  and  presently  gave  me  an  account  of  her 
family,  in  a good-humored  free  manner,  that  was 
extremely  pleasing  and  flattering.  She  retains 
strong  remains  of  considerable  beauty,  and  seems 
266 


LAST  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


to  enjoy  good  health  and  as  good  humour.  She 
has  no  affectation  of  superiority,  but  acts  com- 
pletely in  the  character  of  the  mistress  of  the 
house  of  a respectable  and  opulent  country  gentle- 
man. His  grand-daughter,  Miss  Eleanor  Custis, 
has  more  perfection  of  form,  of  expression,  of 
colour,  of  softness,  and  of  firmness  of  mind,  than 
I have  ever  seen  before. 

“Young  La  Fayette,  with  his  tutor,  came  down 
some  time  before  diuner.  He  is  a young  man  of 
seventeen  years  of  age,  of  a mild,  pleasant  coun- 
tenance, making  a favourable  impression  at  first 
sight. 

“Dinner  was  served  up  about  half-past  three. 
It  had  been  postponed  half  an  hour  in  hopes  of 
Mr.  Lear’s  arrival  from  Alexandria.  The  presi- 
dent came  into  the  portico  a short  time  before 
three,  and  talked  freely  upon  common  topics  with 
the  family.  At  dinner  he  placed  me  at  the  left 
hand  of  Mrs.  Washington,  Miss  Custis  sat  at  her 
right,  and  himself  next  to  her.  There  was  very 
little  conversation  at  dinner.  A few  jokes  passed 
between  the  president  and  young  La  Fayette, 
whom  he  treated  more  as  a child  than  as  a guest. 
I felt  a little  embarrassed  at  the  silent  reserved 
air  that  prevailed.  As  I drink  no  wine,  and  the 
president  drank  but  three  glasses,  the  party  be- 
fore long  returned  to  the  portico.  Mr.  Lear,  Mr. 
Dandridge,  and  Mr.  Lear’s  three  boys  soon  after 
arrived,  and  helped  out  the  conversation.  The 
president  retired  in  about  three  quarters  of  an 
267 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


hour.  As  much  as  I wished  to  stay,  I thought  it 
a point  of  delicacy  to  take  up  as  little  time  of  the 
president  as  possible,  and  I therefore  ordered  my 
horses  to  the  door.  I waited  a few  minutes  till 
the  president  returned.  He  asked  me  whether  I 
had  any  very  pressing  business  to  prevent  my 
lengthening  my  visit.  I told  him  I had  not,  but 
that  as  I considered  it  an  intrusion  upon  his  more 
important  engagements,  I thought  I could  reach 
Colchester  that  evening  by ’’daylight.  ‘Sir,’  said 
he,  ‘you  see  I take  my  own  way.  If  you  can  be 
content  to  take  yours  at  my  house,  I shall  be  glad 
to  see  you  here  longer.’  ” 

This  very  frank  invitation  was  evidently 
accepted  in  the  spirit  in  which  it  was  ex- 
tended, as  Mr.  Latrobe  records  later  that  he 
spent  the  night  at  Mount  Vernon. 

During  the  winter  of  1797  and  1798,  which 
was  a very  severe  one,  the  General  and  Mrs. 
Washington  sometimes  drove  to  Alexandria  to 
dine  with  such  old  friends  as  Dr.  Craik  and 
the  Fitzhughs. 

On  the  twenty-second  of  February  the  whole 
family  attended  a ball  in  Alexandria  in  honor 
of  the  General’s  birthday.  In  reply  to  an 
invitation  from  the  managers  of  the  dancing 
assembly  of  that  town,  received  more  than  a 
year  later,  the  General  expressed  his  own 
and  Mrs.  Washington’s  thanks  in  the  most 
268 


LAST  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


courteous  terms,  couching  their  regrets  in  the 
following  paragraph : “ But  alas ! our  dancing 
days  are  no  more.  We  wish,  however,  for  all 
those  who  have  a relish  for  so  innocent  and 
agreeable  an  amusement  all  the  pleasure  the 
season  will  afford  them.” 

The  spring  after  their  return  to  Mount  Yer- 
non,  the  Washingtons  set  forth  upon  an  eight 
days’  sojourn  in  the  federal  city,  where  they 
were  the  guests  of  Mr.  Thomas  Peter  and  Mr. 
Law,  and  on  their  return  stopped  at  Mount 
Eagle  to  take  leave  of  their  old  friend,  the 
Eev.  Bryan  Fairfax,  who  was  about  to  sail  for 
England.  By  the  hands  of  this  messenger  the 
following  letter  was  sent  from  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton to  her  old  friend  and  neighbor,  Mrs.  George 
William  Fairfax,  of  Belvoir,  who  had  been 
living  abroad  for  many  years  : 1 — 

“ Whether  you  are  indebted  to  me,  or  I to  you, 
a letter,  I shall  not  (because  it  would  not  comport 
with  that  friendship  I have  always  professed,  and 
still  feel  for  you  to  enquire;)  hut  I shall  proceed 
having  so  good  an  opportunity  as  is  afforded  by 
Mr.  Fairfax’s  voyage  to  England,  to  assure  you 
that  although  many  years  have  elapsed  since  I 
have  either  received  or  written  one  to  you,  that 
my  affectionate  regard  for  you  has  undergone  no 
diminution,  and  that  it  is  among  my  greatest 

1 The  draft  of  this  letter  is  in  the  General’s  handwriting, 
269 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


regrets,  now  I am  again  fixed  (I  hope  for  life) 
at  this  place,  at  not  having  you  as  a neighbor 
and  companion. 

“This  loss  was  not  sensibly  felt  by  me  while 
I was  a kind  of  perambulator,  during  eight  or 
nine  years  of  the  war,  and  during  other  eight 
years  which  I resided  at  the  seat  of  the  general 
government,  occupied  in  scenes  more  busy,  tho’ 
not  more  happy,  than  in  the  tranquil  employment 
of  rural  life  with  which  my  days  will  close. 

“The  changes  which  have  taken  place  in  this 
country,  since  you  left  it  (and  it  is  pretty  much 
the  case  in  all  other  parts  of  this  State)  are,  in 
one  word,  total.  In  Alexandria,  I do  not  believe 
there  lives  at  this  day  a single  family  with  whom 
you  had  the  smallest  acquaintance.  In  our  neigh- 
borhood Colo.  Mason,  Colo.  Mc.Carty  and  wife, 
Mr.  Chichestor,  Mr.  Lund  Washington  and  all 
the  Wageners,  have  left  the  stage  of  human  life; 
and  our  visitors  on  the  Maryland  side  are  gone 
and  going  likewise.” 

The  twilight  was  gathering  around  this 
couple,  as  Mrs.  Washington  had  said  in  her 
letter  to  Mrs.  Knox ; but  it  was  a twilight 
that  fell  softly,  and  was  lightened  by  many 
memories  of  a happy,  well-spent  life,  and 
numerous  marks  of  affection  from  friends  at 
home  and  abroad.  A letter  from  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington at  Mount  Vernon,  to  Mrs.  Samuel 
Powel  in  Philadelphia,  shows  that  her  inter- 
270 


LAST  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


est  in  her  old  friends  in  that  city  had  not 
changed  amid  the  quieter  surroundings  of  her 
home : — 

“It  is  unnecessary,  I pursuade  myself  to  assure 
you,  that  with  whatsoever  pleasure  your  letters 
may  he  received,  the  satisfaction  to  be  derived 
from  them  will  fall  short  of  that  which  your  com- 
pany would  give:  — but  as  stern  winter  (which 
has  commenced  with  uncommon  severity)  has 
closed  all  expectation  of  the  latter,  I can  only 
offer  my  thanks  for  your  kind  remembrance  of  us 
in  your  letter  of  the  24th  of  November,  while  I 
add  as  our  hopes,  that  when  all  things  will  he 
blooming  here,  in  the  Spring,  except  the  wither- 
ing Proprietors  of  the  Mansion,  that  you  will 
carry  into  effect  the  long  promised  visit  to  this 
retreat;  and  make  it  your  headquarters  during 
your  stay  in  Virg5-  • • * 

“Poor  Mrs.  Morris!  I feel  much  for  her  situa- 
tion; and  earnestly  pray  that  Mr.  Morris  may, 
soon  work  through  all  his  difficulties  ; in  which 
I am  pursuaded,  that  all  who  know  him  heartily 
join  me;  as  they  do  that  their  ease,  quiet  and 
domestic  enjoyments,  may  he  perfectly  restored. 
Mrs.  Marshall’s  arrival  must  be  a comfort  to  them 
all.  However  disappointed  she  herself  may  be, 
in  the  apparent  reverse  of  their  situation,  since 
she  embarked  for  Europe.  — We  hear  with  concern 
too,  of  the  declining  state  of  Mrs.  White’s  health; 
and  to  her,  Mrs.  Morris,  and  the  rest  of  our  Phila- 
271 


MARTI! A WASHINGTON 


delphia  acquaintances,  we  would  thank  you,  when 
occasions  offer,  to  present  our  best  and  sincerest 
regards. 

“Mrs.  Fitzhugh  and  family,  have  within  the 
last  fortnight,  become  residents  of  Alex£ — and 
we  should  have  made  them  ’ere  this  a congratula- 
tory visit  on  the  occasion,  but  the  bad  weather 
in  which  they  travelled,  has  indisposed  Mrs. 
Fitzhugh  so  much,  as  to  confine  her  to  her  room 
with  an  inflamation,  more  troublesome  than 
dangerous. 

“I  am  now,  by  desire  of  the  General,  to  add 
a few  words  on  his  behalf;  which  lie  desires  may 
be  expressed  in  the  terms  following;  that  is  to 
say,  — that  despairing  of  hearing  what  may  be 
said  of  him,  if  he  shall  really  go  off  in  an  apo- 
plectic, or  any  other  fit,  (for  he  thinks  all  fits  that 
issue  in  death  are  worse  than  a love  fit,  a fit  of 
laughter,  and  many  other  kinds  which  he  could 
name)  — he  is  glad  to  hear  beforehand  what  vrill 
be  said  of  him  on  that  occasion,  conceiving  that 
nothing  extra  will  happen  between  this  and  then, 
to  make  a change  in  his  character  for  better,  or 
for  worse,  — and  besides  as  he  has  entered  into 
an  engagement  with  Mr.  Morris,  and  several  other 
Gentlemen,  not  to  quit  the  theatre  of  this  world 
before  the  year  1800,  it  may  be  relied  upon  that 
no  breach  of  contract  shall  be  laid  to  him  on  that 
account,  unless  dire  necessity  should  bring  it 
about,  maugre  all  his  exertions  to  the  contrary. — 
In  that  case,  he  shall  hope  that  they  will  do  by 
272 


LAST  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


him  as  he  would  do  by  them,  — excuse  it.  At 
present  there  seems  to  be  no  danger  of  his  giving 
them  the  slip,  as  neither  his  health,  nor  spirits, 
were  ever  in  greater  flow,  notwithstanding  he 
adds,  he  is  descending,  and  has  almost  reached 
the  bottom  of  the  hill;  — in  other  words,  the 
shades  below.”  1 

Much  youthful  gayety  and  interest  was 
brought  into  the  home  life  of  Mount  Yernon 
by  the  presence  there  of  Nelly  Custis  and 
the  many  friends  and  admirers  whom  she 
drew  around  her.  The  delicate,  high-bred 
beauty  which  distinguished  this  favorite  grand- 
daughter of  Mrs.  Washington’s  appears  in  a 
portrait  by  Stuart,  while  those  who  knew  her 
in  later  years  speak  of  her  as  a woman  of  a 
rare  and  noble  type. 

Soon  after  her  return  to  her  Virginia  home, 
Miss  Custis  wrote  to  her  friend,  Mrs  Oliver 
Wolcott,  in  Philadelphia : 2 — 

“We  have  spent  our  Summer  and  Autumn  very 
happily  here,  have  in  general  been  blessed  with 
health  — have  had  many  very  agreeable  visitors 

1 This  letter,  which  was  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the 
author  through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Charles  H.  Hart  of  Phila- 
delphia, is  in  General  Washington’s  handwriting.  For  the 
facetious  ending,  it  may  be  unnecessary  to  state  that  the  hus- 
band and  not  the  wife  was  responsible. 

a From  original  in  the  Emmet  Collection  at  the  Lenox 
Library,  New  York. 

18 


273 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


and  are  now  contentedly  seated  round  our  winter 
fireside,  often  speaking  of  and  wishing  to  see 
again  our  good  friends  in  Philadelphia,  hut  never 
regretting  its  amusements,  or  a life  of  ceremony. 

“I  stay  very  much  at  home,  have  not  been  to 
the  City  for  two  or  three  months. 

“My  Grandparents,  Brother,  a nephew  of  the 
General’s  and  your  humble  servant  compose  the 
family  at  present,  I never  have  a dull  or  lonesome 
hour,  never  find  a day  too  long,  indeed  time  ap- 
pears to  fly,  and  I sometimes  think  the  years 
are  much  shorter  for  sometime  past  than  they 
ever  were  before. 

“ My  Beloved  Grandmama  joins  me  in  love  and 
best  wishes  to  you  and  your  children,  with  all  our 
compliments  to  Mr.  Wolcott,  etc.” 

Reading  this  girlish  letter,  we  fall  to  won- 
dering whether  the  nephew  at  Mount  Vernon, 
at  this  time,  was  the  future  husband  of  Miss 
Custis,  and  whether  the  shortness  of  her  days 
may  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  the 
pleasant  little  pastoral  had  already  begun, 
which  was  to  brighten  the  General’s  last 
years  by  adding  another  link  to  the  chain 
which  connected  his  own  family  with  that  of 
his  wife. 

Nelly  Custis  was  now  eighteen,  had  attended 
her  first  ball  in  Georgetown,  and  had  received 
a long,  serious  letter  from  her  adopted  father 

274 


LAST  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


upon  the  proper  management  of  the  tender 
passion,  of  which  advice  she  stood  in  great 
need,  if  we  may  believe  all  the  tales  that  have 
come  down  to  us  of  the  many  suitors  that  her 
beauty  and  charm  attracted  to  Mount  Vernon. 
Among  these  was  young  Charles  Carroll,  and 
although  Washington  Custis  wrote  of  the  ru- 
mored engagement  of  his  sister  to  Mr.  Carroll 
as  a most  desirable  one,  the  General  had  other 
views  for  his  adopted  daughter,  in  which  she 
concurred.  In  writing  to  Washington  Custis, 
the  General  said  : — 

“Young  Mr.  C . came  here  about  a fort- 

night ago  to  dinner,  and  left  the  next  morning 
after  breakfast.  If  his  object  was  such  as  you  say 
has  been  reported,  it  was  not  declared  here  ; and 
therefore  the  less  said  upon  the  subject,  particu- 
larly by  your  sister’s  friends,  the  more  prudent 
it  will  be  until  the  subject  develops  itself  more.” 

To  Governor  Trumbull,  Washington  wrote 
early  in  February,  1799:  — 

“Mrs.  Washington  is  as  well  as  usual  & Nelly 
Custis,  who  on  my  birthday,  (the  22n9  instant) 
will  change  her  name  for  that  of  Lewis,  a nephew 
of  mine  and  brother  to  those  who  lived  with  me 
in  New  York  & Philadelphia.” 

The  simple  record  in  the  General’s  diary 
under  the  date  of  his  last  birthday  is : — 

275 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


“ The  Rev?  Mr.  Davis  & Mr.  George  Calvert 
came  to  dinner  & Miss  Custis  was  married  about 
Candle  light  to  Mr.  Lawr  Lewis.” 

Although  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lawrence  Lewis  had 
a place  called  Woodlawn,  a part  of  the  Mount 
Vernon  estate,  they  spent  much  of  their  time 
at  the  Mansion  House,  and  here  their  first  child 
was  born,  a short  time  before  the  General’s 
death. 

Strangers  who  came  to  Mount  Vernon  in  these 
days  were  impressed  by  the  busy  activity  of 
Mrs.  Washington’s  life,  and  her  kindness  and 
constant  thought  for  others.  Mrs.  Edward 
Carrington,  a daughter  of  the  fascinating 
“ Belinda  ” of  Thomas  Jefferson’s  early  letters, 
visited  the  Washingtons  with  her  husband  in 
November,  1799,  and  in  a letter  to  her  sister, 
Mrs.  Daniel  Call,  has  left  a pleasant  picture  of 
this  couple  as  they  appeared  in  the  last  weeks 
of  their  happy  life  together. 

In  her  letter,  written  from  Mount  Vernon, 
Mrs.  Carrington  says : — 

“ We  arrived  here  on  the  20th  just  time  enough 
for  dinner  after  a pleasant  journey.  . . . Yes,  we 
arrived  at  this  venerable  mansion  in  perfect  safety, 
where  we  are  experiencing  every  mark  of  hospital- 
ity and  kindness,  that  the  good  General’s  continued 
friendship  to  Col.  Carrington  could  lead  us  to  ex- 
276 


LAST  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


pect : — his  reception  of  my  husband,  was  that  of 
a Brother;  he  took  us  each  by  the  hand  with  a 
warmth  of  expression  not  to  be  described,  pressed 
mine  and  told  me  that  I conferred  a favor,  never  to 
he  forgotten,  in  bringing  his  old  friend  to  see  him. 
Then  bidding  a servant  to  call  the  ladies  enter- 
tained us  most  facetiously  till  they  appeared.  . . . 

“Then  we  repaired  to  the  Old  Lady’s  room  which 
is  precisely  on  the  style  of  our  good  old  Aunt ; that 
is  to  say  nicely  fixed  for  all  sorts  of  work — On  one 
side  sits  the  chamber-maid  with  her  knitting  — 
on  the  other  a little  colored  pet  learning  to  sew, 
an  old  decent  woman,  with  her  table  of  shears 
cutting  out  the  negroes  winter  clothes,  while  the 
good  old  lady  directs  them  all ; incessantly  knitting 
herself  and  pointing  out  to  me  several  pair  of  nice 
colored  stockings  and  gloves  she  had  just  finished, 
and  presenting  me  with  a pair  half  done  which  she 
begs  I will  finish  and  wear  for  her  sake.  Her 
netting  too  is  a great  source  of  amusement  and  is: 
so  neatly  done  that  all  the  younger  part  of  the 
family  are  proud  of  trimming  their  dresses  with  it, 
and  have  furnished  me  with  a whole  suit  so  that  I 
shall  appear  ‘a  la  domestique’  at  the  first  party  we 
have  when  I get  home.” 

There  were  guests  at  Mount  Vernon'  on 
Wednesday,  December  11th,  although  it  rained 
some  part  of  the  day,  according  to  the  General’s 
diary.  Lord  Fairfax,  his  son  Thomas  and  his 
daughter,  Mr.  John  Herbert,  and  Mrs.  Warner 
277 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


'Washington  and  her  son,  all  dined  with  the 
Washingtons  and  returned  home  after  dinner. 
The  next  day  there  were  snow,  hail,  and  rain, 
yet  the  General  rode  over  his  farms  as  usual 
from  ten  o’clock  until  three.  When  mail  time 
came,  he  considered  the  weather  too  bad  to  send 
a servant  to  the  post,  although  he  had  been  out, 
himself,  all  morning.  Mr.  Lear  said  : — 

“ I observed  to  him  that  I was  afraid  he  had  got 
wet;  he  said  no,  his  great-coat  had  kept  him  dry. 
But  his  neck  appeared  to  be  wet,  the  snow  was 
hanging  on  his  hair.  He  came  to  dinner  without 
changing  his  dress.  In  the  evening  he  appeared 
as  well  as  usual.  A heavy  fall  of  snow  took  place 
on  Friday,  which  prevented  the  General  from 
riding  out  as  usual.  He  had  taken  cold,  un- 
doubtedly from  being  so  much  exposed  the  day 
before,  and  complained  of  having  a sore  throat; 
he  had  a hoarseness  which  increased  in  the  even- 
ing, but  he  nlade  light  of  it,  as  he  would  never 
take  anything  to  carry  off  a cold,  always  observing, 
‘Let  it  go  as  it  came.’  In  the  evening,  the  papers 
having  come  from  the  post-office,  he  sat  in  the 
room  with  Mrs.  Washington  and  myself  reading 
them  till  about  9 o’clock,  and  when  he  met  with 
anything  which  he  thought  diverting  or  interest- 
ing he  would  read  it  aloud.  ...  On  his  retiring 
to  bed  he  appeared  to  be  in  perfect  health,  except 
the  cold,  which  he  considered  as  trifling;  he  had 
been  remarkably  cheerful  all  the  evening. 

278 


LAST  DA  YS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


“ About  2 or  3 o’clock  on  Saturday  morning 
he  awoke  Mrs.  Washington  and  informed  her  he 
was  very  unwell  and  had  an  ague.  She  observed 
that  he  could  scarcely  speak  and  breathed  with 
difficulty,  and  she  wished  to  get  up  and  call  a 
servant,  but  the  General  would  not  permit  her 
lest  she  should  take  cold.  As  soon  as  the  day 
appeared  the  woman,  Caroline,  went  into  the 
room  to  make  a fire,  and  the  girl  desired  that 
Mr.  Rawlins,  one  of  the  overseers,  who  was  used 
to  bleeding  the  people,  might  be  sent  for  to  bleed 
him  before  the  doctor  could  arrive.” 

The  doctors  came  and  remedies  were  used, 
with  all  too  much  blood-letting,  to  which  Mrs. 
Washington  objected.  The  labored  breathing 
became  more  difficult  as  the  day  advanced. 
The  General  desired  his  wife  to  come  to  his 
bedside,  and  asked  her  to  bring  to  him  two 
wills  that  were  in  his  desk.  A little  later  he 
said:  “I  feel  myself  going — you  had  better 
not  take  any  more  trouble  about  me,  but  let  me 
go  off  quietly;  I cannot  last  long.”  To  Dr. 
Craik,  his  valued  friend  and  companion  in 
arms,  as  well  as  his  physician,  Washington 
said  : “ Doctor,  I die  hard,  but  I am  not  afraid 
to  go  ; I believed  from  my  first  attack  I should 
not  survive  it ; my  breath  cannot  last  long.” 

The  doctor  pressed  his  hand,  but  could  not 
utter  a word  ; he  retired  from  the  bedside  and 
sat  by  the  fire,  absorbed  in  grief. 

279 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


This  was  about  eight  o’clock  on  Saturday 
evening;  a little  after  ten  those  around  the 
bedside  felt  that  the  end  had  come.  Mr.  Lear 
says,  “ While  we  were  fixed  in  silent  grief,  Mrs. 
Washington  (who  was  sitting  at  the  foot  of  the 
bed)  asked  with  a firm  and  collected  voice,  ‘ Is 
he  gone  ?’  I could  not  speak,  but  held  up  my 
hand  as  a signal  that  he  was  no  more.  ‘ ’T  is 
well,’  said  she,  in  the  same  voice,  ‘ All  is  now 
over.  I shall  soon  follow  him.  I have  no 
more  trials  to  pass  through.’  ” 

In  writing  to  a friend,  soon  after  General 
Washington’s  death,  Mr.  Lear  said,  “ Mrs. 
Washington  bore  the  afflicting  stroke  with  a 
pious  resignation  and  fortitude  which  shew  that 
her  hopes  were  placed  beyond  this  life.”  Noth- 
ing else  can  explain  the  courage  and  calmness 
of  this  sorrowing  woman  in  these  dark  hours. 
To  Governor  Trumbull,  who  had  been  a warm 
friend  of  her  husband,  she  wrote  in  answer  to 
his  letter  of  condolence  : — 

“For  myself,  I have  only  to  bow  with  humble 
submission  to  the  will  of  that  God  who  giveth  and 
who  taketh  away,  looking  forward  with  faith 'and 
hope  to  the  moment  when  I shall  be  again  united 
with  the  partner  of  my  life.  But,  while  I continue 
on  earth,  my  prayers  will  be  offered  up  for  the  wel- 
fare and  happiness  of  my  friends,  among  whom  you 
will  always  be  numbered.” 

280 


LAST  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


To  those  who  visit  Mount  Vernon  to-day,  a 
little  attic  room  is  shown,  where  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington spent  most  of  her  time  after  the  Gene- 
ral’s death.  Here  she  slept,  and  here,  by  a 
window  which  commanded  a view  of  her  hus- 
band’s temporary  resting-place  upon  the  lawn, 
she  sat  day  after  day,  with  her  work  in  her 
hands,  looking  out  upon  the  beautiful  river  he 
had  loved  so  well,  thinking  of  him  who  was 
laid  in  the  soil  of  Mount  Vernon  that  was 
so  dear  to  him,  while  she  waited  in  peace  and 
hope  her  own  summons  to  join  him  who  had 
filled  the  round  completeness  of  earth  for 
her. 

When  it  was  proposed  by  the  government  to 
remove  the  remains  of  General  Washington 
from  the  grave  upon  the  brow  of  the  hill,  where 
they  had  first  been  placed,  to  a tomb  to  be  pre- 
pared for  them  in  the  city  of  Washington,  with 
the  resolves  of  Congress  a letter  was  sent  to 
Mrs.  Washington  requesting  her  permission  to 
make  the  removal.  To  this  official  communi- 
cation she  made  the  following  characteristic 
reply : 1 — 

1 This  removal  was  never  made,  and  the  remains  of  Wash- 
ington lie  beside  those  of  his  wife  in  the  new  vault  at  Mount 
Vernon,  which  was  built  according  to  his  own  directions  at 
the  foot  of  what  is  called  the  Vineyard  Enclosure. 

281 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


Mount  Vernon,  December  31st,  1799. 1 
Sir  While  I feel  with  keenest  anguish 
the  late  Disposition  of  Divine  Providence,  I 
cannot  be  insensible  to  the  mournful  tributes 
of  respect  and  veneration  which  are  paid  to 
the  memory  of  my  dear  deceased  Husband  — and 
as  his  best  services  and  most  anxious  wishes 
were  always  devoted  to  the  welfare  and  happiness 
of  his  country  — to  know  that  they  were  truly 
appreciated  and  gratefully  remembered  affords 
no  inconsiderable  consolation. 

Taught  by  the  great  example  which 
I have  so  long  before  me  never  to  oppose  my 
private  wishes  to  the  public  will  — I must 
consent  to  the  request  made  by  congress  — 
which  you  have  had  the  goodness  to  transmit 
to  me  — and  in  doing  this  I need  not  — I 
cannot  say  what  a sacrifice  of  individual 
feeling  I make  to  a sense  of  public  duty. 

With  grateful  acknowledgment 
and  unfeigned  thanks  for  the  personal 
respect  and  evidences  of  condolence  expres 
sed  by  congress,  and  your  self. 

I remain,  very  respectfully 
sir, 

Your  most  obedient  & humble 
servant 

Martha  Washington. 

1 The  original  letter  is  in  possession  of  the  United  States 
government.  This  letter  lay  for  more  than  ninety  years 
hidden  among  some  musty  archives  at  the  Capitol,  and  was 
282 


LAST  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


The  two  years  of  life  that  remained  to  Martha 
Washington  were  passed  at  Mount  Vernon, 
which  had  been  the  scene  of  the  chief  joys  and 
sorrows  of  her  eventful  career.  Here,  sur- 
rounded by  her  grandchildren  and  great-grand- 
children, she  passed  her  days  in  quietness, 
cheerful  in  her  sorrow  and  loneliness  as  she 
had  been  through  all  the  varied  scenes  of  her 
life,  receiving  with  unfailing  courtesy  and  hos- 
pitality those  who  came  to  express  their  sym- 
pathy for  her,  or  to  do  honor  to  the  memory  of 
her  husband.  One  interesting  picture  of  Mrs. 
Washington  in  her  widowhood  has  come  to  us 
from  the  pen  of  the  Rev.  Manasseh  Cutler,  who 
visited  her  about  two  years  after  the  General’s 
death : — 

“On  Friday  last,  Messrs.  Hillhouse,  Davenport, 
J.  C.  Smith,  Mattoon,  Perkins,  Tallmadge,  and 
Goddard,  and  myself,  made  a visit  to  Mount  Ver- 
non to  pay  our  respects  to  Mrs.  Washington.  We 
were  received  in  the  most  polite  and  Cordial  man- 
ner, and  handsomely  entertained  . . . When  our 
coaches  entered  the  yard,  a number  of  servants 
immediately  attended,  and  when  we  had  all  stepped 
out  of  our  Carriages,  a servant  conducted  us  to 
Madam  Washington’s  room,  where  we  were  intro- 

lately  discovered  by  Walter  H.  French,  Clerk  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Files,  House  of  Representatives.  The  spelling, 
punctuation,  and  breaks  of  lines  are  carefully  reproduced. 

283 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


duced  by  Mr.  Hillhouse,  and  received  in  a very 
cordial  and  obliging  manner.  Mrs.  Washington 
was  sitting  in  rather  a small  room,  with  three 
ladies  (granddaughters),  one  of  whom  is  married 
to  a Mr.  Lewis,  and  has  two  fine  children ; the 
other  two  are  single.1  Mrs.  Washington  appears 
much  older  than  when  I saw  her  last  at  Philadel- 
phia, but  her  countenance  very  little  wrinkled  and 
remarkably  fair  for  a person  of  her  years.  She 
conversed  with  great  ease  and  familiarity,  and  ap- 
peared as  much  rejoiced  at  receiving  our  visit  as  if 
we  had  been  of  her  nearest  connections.  She  re- 
gretted that  we  had  not  arrived  sooner,  for  she 
always  breakfasted  at  seven,  but  our  breakfast 
would  be  ready  in  a few  minutes.  In  a short  time 
she  rose,  and  desired  us  to  walk  into  another  room, 
where  a table  was  elegantly  spread  with  ham,  cold 
corn  beef,  cold  fowl,  red  herring  and  cold  mutton, 
the  dishes  ornamented  with  sprigs  of  parsley  and 
other  vegetables  from  the  garden. 

4 ‘ At  the  head  of  the  table  was  the  tea  and  coffee 
equipage,  where  she  seated  herself,  and  sent  the  tea 
and  coffee  to  the  company.  We  were  all  Federal- 
ists, which  evidently  gave  her  particular  pleasure. 
Her  remarks  were  frequently  pointed  and  some- 
times very  sarcastic,  on  the  new  order  of  things, 
and  the  present  administration.  . . . She  ap- 
peared in  good  health,  but  like  one  who  has  sus- 

1 These  two  ladies  were  either  nieces  of  Mrs.  Washington, 
or  the  younger  daughters  of  Dr.  David  Stuart,  as  her  own 
granddaughters  were  all  married. 

284 


LAST  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


tained  a loss  that  will  always  remain  fresh  in  her 
mind.  She  spoke  of  the  General  with  great  affec- 
tion, and  observed  that,  though  she  had  many 
favors  and  mercies,  for  which  she  desired  to  bless 
God,  she  felt  as  if  she  was  become  a stranger 
among  her  friends,  and  could  welcome  the  time 
when  she  should  be  called  to  follow  her  deceased 
friend.” 

A few  months  later,  in  May,  1802,  the  news- 
papers all  over  the  country  announced  the 
death  of  the  widow  of  Washington,  and  the 
nation  realized  that  the  last  living  link  was 
severed  that  had  bound  it  to  the  family  of  the 
great  General.  Little  is  known  of  the  closing 
scenes  of  Martha  Washington’s  life.  A “ Com- 
munication” to  an  Alexandria  journal  gives 
the  following  details  : — 

“ On  Saturday  the  22d  of  May,  at  12  o’clock, 
P.  M.  Mrs.  Washington  terminated  her  well  spent 
life.  Composure  and  resignation  were  uniformly 
displayed  during  seventeen  day’s  depredations  of  a 
severe  fever.  From  the  commencement  she  de- 
clared that  she  was  undergoing  the  final  trial,  and 
had  long  been  prepared  for  her  dissolution.  She 
took  the  sacrament  from  Mr.  Davis,  imparted  her 
last  advice  and  benedictions  to  her  weeping  rela- 
tions, and  sent  for  a white  gown,  which  she  had 
previously  laid  by  for  her  last  dress  — thus  in  the 
closing  scene,  as  in  all  the  preceding  ones,  noth- 
285 


MARTHA  WASHINGTON 


ing  was  omitted.  The  conjugal,  maternal  and  do- 
mestic duties  had  all  been  fulfilled  in  an  exemplary 
manner.  She  was  the  worthy  partner  of  the  wor- 
thiest of  men,  and  those  who  witnessed  their  con- 
duct could  not  determine  which  excelled  in  their 
different  characters,  both  were  so  well  sustained  on 
every  occasion.  They  lived  an  honor  and  a pattern 
to  their  country,  and  are  taken  from  us  to  receive 
the  rewards  — promised  to  the  faithful  and  just.” 

The  following  notice,  which  was  quoted  in 
several  other  journals,  appeared  in  the  “ Wash- 
ington Federalist  ” : — 

“Died,  at  Mount  Vernon,  on  Saturday  evening, 
the  22-  ultimo,  Mrs  Martha  Washington,  widow  of 
the  late  illustrious  General  George  Washington. 
To  those  amiable  and  Christian  virtues,  which 
adorn  the  female  character,  she  added  dignity  of 
manners,  superiority  of  understanding,  a mind  in- 
telligent and  elevated.  The  silence  of  respectful 
grief  is  our  best  eulogy.” 

If,  as  has  been  said,  the  best  of  any  good  life 
escapes  record,  — its  fragrance  and  beauty  and 
song,  its  joy  and  its  pathos  being  too  evanescent 
for  memorial,  — it  is  doubly  true  of  one  whose 
noblest  thoughts  and  deeds  have  been  given  to 
the  sacred  enclosure  of  her  own  home,  of  one 
who,  like  Martha  Washington,  although  by  the 
force  of  circumstances  living  much  in  public 
life,  always  held  herself,  in  a certain  measure, 
286 


LAST  DAYS  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


apai’t  from  it.  A woman  not  wise  or  great  in 
any  shining  worldly  sense  was  she  ; but  largely 
endowed  with  those  qualities  of  the  heart  that 
conspire  to  the  making  of  a noble  and  rounded 
character,  — charity,  kindness,  unselfishness, 
and  sincerity.  A devoted  and  sympathetic 
wife,  a tender  mother,  a loyal  friend,  an  ear- 
nest and  devout  Christian,  — she  was  a woman 
well  worthy  to  be  the  chosen  companion  and 
much  loved  wife  of  the  greatest  of  our  soldiers 
and  the  purest  of  our  patriots. 


287 


\ 


INDEX 


Adams,  John,  describes  an  In- 
dian dinner,  98  ; marriage  of 
daughter,  154  ; Vice-Presi- 
dent, 202,  210;  describes  din- 
ners at  the  Washingtons’, 
235,  236  ; speaks  of  Mrs. 
Washington’s  granddaugh- 
ters, 242;  Mrs.  Washington 
compliments,  on  election, 

259  ; emotion  shown  upon 
retirement  of  Washington, 

260  ; inauguration  of,  260, 
261;  called  upon  by  Wash- 
ington, 262. 

Adams,  Mrs.  John,  patriotism 
of,  83  ; cleverness  of,  93, 101, 
102  ; describes  Richmond 
Hill,  202  ; regrets  leaving 
New  York,  218,  219;  at  Bush 
Hill,  226;  describes  society 
in  Philadelphia,  227,  238; 
mentioned,  205,  210,  215, 
202. 

Adams,  Samuel,  objects  to  giv- 
ing ball  for  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton, 93. 

Adams,  Thomas,  son  of  Presi- 
dent Adams,  206. 

Andros,  Sir  Edmund,  Gover- 
nor of  Virginia,  18. 

19 


Arlington,  on  eastern  shore  of 
Virginia,  16,  29. 

Armstrong,  Colonel,  66. 

Bache,  Mrs.  Richard  (Sarah 
Franklin),  goes  into  society 
with  the  Washingtons,  45,  46, 
128;  presides  over  relief  as- 
sociation for  soldiers,  136, 
137. 

Bassett,  Colonel  Burwell,  vis- 
its Mount  Vernon,  55,  56,  63; 
Mrs.  Washington  at  house  of, 
in  New  Kent,  89,  91;  daugh- 
ter Fanny  marries  G.  A. 
Washington,  162;  mentioned, 
57,  104. 

Bassett,  Fanny,  marriage  of, 
162,  169  (see  Mrs.  G.  A. 
Washington). 

Bassett,  Mrs.  Burwell,  sister  of 
Mrs.  Washington,  48  ; letters 
from  Mrs.  Washington  to,  55, 
56,  102,  103,  104,  147,  148; 
visits  Mount  Vernon,  63. 

Bassett,  Mrs.  M.,  253. 

Baylies,  Henry,  151. 

Beekman,  Mrs.  James,  lead- 
ing belle  of  New  York,  215. 


289 


INDEX 


Berkeley,  William,  Governor 
of  Virginia,  L,  2,  3. 

Biddle,  Colonel  Clement,  friend 
of  Washington’s,  223. 

Biddle,  Mrs.  Clement,  spends 
winter  at  Valley  forge,  121, 
223. 

Biddle,  Rebecca,  224  (see  Mrs. 
Nathaniel  Chapman). 

Bingham,  Captain,  escorts  Mrs. 
Washington  into  Philadel- 
phia, 190. 

Bingham,  Mrs.  William,  sets 
fashions  for  Philadelphia 
women,  216,  226,  227,  238, 
239. 

Binney,  Susan,  lives  opposite 
to  General  Washington  in 
Philadelphia,  223,  224,  238  ; 
attends  Mrs.  Washington’s 
drawing-room,  228. 

Birmingham  Manor,  186. 

Blackburn,  Colonel  Thomas, 
177. 

Blair,  Dr.,  of  William  and 
Mary,  18. 

Blair,  Mrs.,  rudeness  of  Colonel 
Custis  to,  18. 

Bland,  Mrs.  Theodorick,  at 
headquarters  in  Morristown, 
112,  115. 

Bordley,  Elizabeth,  friendship 
for  Nelly  Custis,  224;  verses 
of,  241;  great  admiration  for 
the  Washingtons,  242,  243, 
255. 

Botetourt,  Lord,  Governor  of 
Virginia,  9,  11,  71. 

Boucher,  Dr.  Jonathan,  tutor 
of  John  Custis,  54,  73. 

Boudinot,  Elias,  at  Basking 
Ridge,  113;  at  Valley  Forge, 
125  ; letter  from  General 
Washington  to,  148. 


Boudinot,  Susan,  anecdote  of, 
113,  114. 

Bradbury,  Theophdus,  de- 
scribes state  dinner  at  the 
President’s,  233,  234. 

Braddock,  General  Edward, 
bequeaths  horse  to  Wash- 
ington, 33 ; expedition  of, 
36. 

Bradford,  William,  marries 
Susan  Boudinot,  113. 

Brand-IIollis,  Thomas,  letter 
from  Mrs.  Adams  to,  202. 

Breck,  Mr.  Samuel,  237. 

Brehan,  Madame  de,  and  son, 
visit  the  Washingtons,  180; 
paints  miniature  of  General 
Washington,  180;  fondness 
of,  for  the  simplicity  of 
the  Washingtons’  life,  180, 
181. 

Brinton,  John  II.,  M.  D., 
48. 

Brinton,  Sarah,  48. 

Brown,  Alexander,  49. 

Brown,  Prof.  W.  G.,  opinion 
about  portrait  of  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington, 31. 

Bruton  Church,  Williamsburg, 
Virginia,  3,  9,  10,  17, 

24. 

Budd,  Madame,  of  Morristown, 
116. 

Bunker’s  Hotel,  site  of,  193. 

Burge,  Sarah  Coates,  marries 
William  Rawle,  239,  240. 

Burwell,  Rebecca,  10,  11. 

Byrd,  Colonel  William,  of 
Westover,  settles  boundary 
line  of  Virginia,  4 ; in  Wil- 
liamsburg, 11;  marries  Luct' 
Parke,  19;  desires  daughter 
to  marry  Daniel  Parke  Custis, 
21. 


290 


INDEX 


Bvrd,  Evelyn,  a Virginia 
beauty,  11 ; portrait  at  Bran- 
don, Virginia,  21. 

Cadwaladei:,  General  John, 
visits  Mount  Vernon,  171. 

Cadwalader,  Mrs.,  230. 

Call.  Mrs.  Daniel,  letter  to, 
276,  277. 

Calvert,  Benedict,  of  Mount 
Airy,  Maryland,  73,  74. 

Calvert,  Eleanor,  73,  74  (see 
Mrs.  John  P.  Custis). 

Calvert,  George,  first  Lord  Bal- 
timore, 73. 

Calvert,  George,  present  at  mar- 
riage of  Nelly  Custis,  276. 

Carrington,  Colonel  Edward, 
visits  Mount  Vernon,  276. 

Carrington,  Mrs.  Edward,  de- 
scribes visit  to  Mount  Ver- 
non, 276,  277. 

Carroll,  Charles,  Baltimore  resi- 
dence of,  188 

Carroll,  Jr.,  Charles,  visits 
Mount  Vernon,  164,  266;  ad- 
mires Nelly  Custis,  275. 

Carroll,  Mrs.  Charles,  prepara- 
tions of,  to  receive  Mrs. 
Washington,  188. 

Carter,  Colonel,  dines  with  the 
Washingtons,  177. 

Cary,  Mary,  earl}'  love  of 
Washington’s,  38;  letters  to, 
39-42. 

Cary,  Sally,  37  (see  Mrs.  G.  W. 
Fairfax). 

Cary,  Wilson  Miles,  4. 

Chamberlayne,  Major,  26,  28, 
33. 

Chambers,  Benjamin,  founder 
of  Chambersburg,  227. 

Chambers,  Charlotte,  describes 
drawing-room  in  Philadel- 


phia, 227,  228;  birthnight 
ball,  230,  231,  255. 

Chambers,  General  James.  227. 

Chapman,  Mrs.  Nathaniel,  rec- 
ollections of  General  Wash- 
ington, 223,  224. 

Chase,  Samuel,  of  Maryland, 
171. 

Chastellux,  Francois  Jean,  Mar- 
quis de,  General  Washington 
writes  to,  86,  154;  describes 
Mrs.  Washington,  137;  at 
Mount  Vernon,  138 ; visits 
headquarters  at  Newburgh, 
144,  145. 

Chew,  Benjamin,  Philadelphia 
house  of,  occupied  by  the 
Washingtons,  140. 

Chew,  Miss  Harriet,  marries 
Charles  Carroll,  Jr.,  258. 

Chew,  Peggy,  marriage  of,  175, 
176. 

Christ  Church,  Alexandria, 
Washington  vestryman  in, 
67. 

Christ  Church,  Philadelphia, 
President  attends,  232. 

Clinton,  Cornelia,  married  Citi- 
zen Genet,  215. 

Clinton,  George,  Governor,  at- 
tends entertainment  at  West 
Point,  146,  148;  mentioned, 
103,  193,  210. 

Clinton,  Mrs.  George,  at  West 
Point,  146,  148;  calls  upon 
Mrs.  Washington  in  New 
York,  199,  215. 

Cochran,  Mrs.  John,  at  Mor- 
ristown, 135,  136. 

Coffin,  Martha,  friend  of  Nelly 
Custis,  241. 

Colden,  Maria,  opens  ball 
with  General  Washington, 
146. 


291 


INDEX 


Colfax,  Captain  William,  great 
favorite  of  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton’s, 132,  136. 

Colles,  Julia  Keese,  writes  of 
sewing-societies  in  Morris- 
town, 118. 

Condict,  Mrs.,  helps  soldiers, 
118. 

Conway,  Captain  Richard,  loans 
money  to  Washington,  186. 

Cornwallis,  Lord,  surrender  of, 
138,  140,  141. 

Cox,  Colonel  John,  assistant 
quartermaster  to  General 
Greene,  118;  makes  cannon 
at  Batisto,  119. 

Cox,  Mrs.  John,  visited  by 
Mrs.  Washington,  118. 

Craigie,  Dr.  Andrew,  builds 
house  in  Cambridge,  96. 

Craik,  Dr.  James,  attends  John 
Custis,  139 ; personal  friend 
of  Washington’s,  268;  attends 
Washington  in  his  last  ill- 
ness, 279. 

Craik,  Miss  Nancy,  dines  at 
Mount  Vernon,  180. 

Cushing,  Judge  William,  260. 

Custis,  Betsey,  visits  Mrs. 
Washington  in  Philadelphia, 
152,  154. 

Custis,  Colonel  John,  singular 
epitaph  of,  17 ; eccentric  gen- 
tleman, 18;  love  letter  of,  19; 
marries  Frances  Parke,  19, 
20;  opposes  marriage  of  son 
to  Miss  Dandridge,  20,  21; 
consents  to  marriage,  22,  23. 

Custis,  Daniel  Parke,  marries 
Martha  Dandridge,  11,  22, 
23;  ancestry,  16-20;  father 
of,  objects  to  marriage,  20, 21 ; 
children  of,  24;  death  of,  24, 
25 ; estate  of  , 25,  50. 


Custis,  Eleanor  Parke  (Nelly 
Custis),  adopted  by  the 
Washingtons,  139;  the  child 
of  Mount  Vernon,  161;  did 
not  stand  in  awe  of  Wash- 
ington, 163;  beauty  of,  180, 
273,  275;  accompanies  Mrs. 
Washington  to  New  York, 
183;  in  Philadelphia,  224, 
242,  254,  257,  258;  friends 
of,  241-243;  at  inauguration 
of  Mr.  Adams,  260,  261  ; re- 
turns to  Mount  Vernon,  262- 
264;  letters  to  Mrs.  Wolcott, 
263,  273,  274;  described  by 
Mr.  Latrobe,  266,  267; 

Stuart’s  portrait  of,  273 ; mar- 
ries Lawrence  Lewis,  275, 
276,  284;  home  at  Wood- 
lawn,  276. 

Custis,  Elizabeth,  granddaugh- 
ter of  Mrs.  Washington’s, 
119;  much  at  Mount  Vernon, 
119,  161,  183,  264,  266;  mar- 
ries Mr.  Law,  222,  242,  258; 
Stuart’s  beautiful  portrait  of, 
242. 

Custis,  Frances  Parke,  beauti- 
ful and  eccentric,  17 ; mai  l ies 
Colonel  Custis,  18-20;  buried 
at  Bruton  church,  24. 

Custis,  G.  W.  P.,  grandson  of 
Mrs.  Washington,  29;  quoted 
with  regard  to  Woolaston 
portrait  of  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton, 31,  32;  relates  anecdotes 
of  courtship  and  wedding  of 
Mrs.  Washington,  34,45,47; 
Recollections  and  Private 
Memoirs  of  Washington  by, 
86,  138;  adopted  by  the 

Washingtons,  139,  161;  ac- 
companies Mrs.  Washington 
to  New  York,  183;  at  Prince- 


292 


INDEX 


ton  College,  264 ; desires  his 
sister  to  marry  Mr.  Carroll, 
275. 

Custis,  John,  in  Bacon’s  Rebel- 
lion, 16. 

Custis,  John,  of  Rotterdam,  16. 

Custis,  John  Parke,  son  of  Mrs. 
Washington,  24,  53,  64; 
portrait  by  Woolaston,  32; 
inoculated  for  small-pox,  54; 
London  orders  for,  59,  60; 
characteristics,  72;  courtship, 
73,  74;  marriage,  77,  78; 
lives  at  Abingdon,  79,  107, 
108,  124;  accompanies  his 
mother  to  Cambridge,  91; 
at  headquarters,  Craigie 
House,  100,  103;  daughter 
Elizabeth  born,  105;  aide-de- 
camp  to  Washington,  138; 
death  of,  138,  139;  children 
adopted  by  Washington,  139. 

Custis,  Mrs.  John  Parke,  beauty 
aud  charm,  73,  97,  100 ; mar- 
riage, 77;  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton’s letter  to,  78;  lives  at 
Abingdon,  79,  107,  108;  ac- 
companies Mrs.  Washington 
to  Cambridge,  91,  99,  103, 
104 ; in  Philadelphia,  93 ; 
death  of  husband,  139;  at- 
tentions of  Dr.  Stuart,  149; 
second  marriage,  149. 

Custis,  Joseph,  settles  in  Vir- 
ginia, 16. 

Custis,  Martha,  see  Martha 
Washington. 

Custis,  Martha,  daughter  of 
Martha  Washington,  24,  25; 
portrait  of,  32;  affection  of 
Washington  for,  53,  66,  75; 
London  orders  for,  59,  60; 
illness  and  death,  67,  72,  75. 

Custis,  Martha,  granddaughter 


of  Mrs.  Washington,  119, 
183;  marries  Mr.  Thomas 
Peter,  242. 

Custis,  William,  settles  in  Vir- 
ginia, 16. 

Cutler,  Dr.  Manasseh,  impres- 
sions of  New  York,  193;  de- 
scribes honors  to  dead  Indian, 
236;  visits  Mount  Vernon 
after  General  Washington’s 
death,  283-285. 

Dalton,  Hon.  Tristram,  in 
New  York,  210. 

Dalton,  Mrs.  Tristram,  199. 
Dancing  Assembly  of  Phila- 
delphia, the  President’s  toast 
to,  229. 

Dandridge,  Anna  Maria,  48 
(see  Mrs.  Burwell  Bassett). 
Dandridge,  Bartholomew,  neph- 
ew of  Mrs.  Washington, 
168. 

Dandridge,  Colonel  John,  set- 
tles in  New  Kent  County, 
3-5 ; death  of,  549. 
Dandridge,  Elizabeth  (Mrs. 

Henley),  49,  253,  254. 
Dandridge  family,  of  Worces- 
tershire, England,  5. 
Dandridge,  Hon.  William,  con- 
nection with  West  family, 
4,  5. 

Dandridge,  Judge  Bartholo- 
mew, brother  of  Martha 
Washington,  49,  127,  128; 
death  of,  168. 

Dandridge,  Martha  (see  Mar- 
tha Washington). 

Dandridge,  Martha  W ashing- 
ton,  niece  of  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton, 127 ; much  at  Mount 
Vernon,  164,  165;  marriage, 
168. 

293 


INDEX 


Dandridge,  Mrs.  John,  mother 
of  Martha  Washington,  3. 

Dandridge,  Mrs.  John,  Mrs. 
Washington’s  stepmother, 
49,  77,  168. 

Dandridge,  Nathaniel  West,  2. 

Dandridge,  William,  brother  of 
Martha  Washington,  49. 

Davenport,  Mr.,  at  Mount  Ver- 
non, 283. 

Davies,  Rev.  Mr.,  at  Mount 
Vernon,  276,  285. 

De  Glouvav,  Alexander,  enter- 
tains the  Washingtons,  141. 

Digges,  George,  neighbor  of 
the  Washingtons,  63,  177. 

Dinwiddie,  Governor,  24. 

Donald,  Alexander,  at  Mount 
Vernon,  178,  179. 

Drawing-rooms  of  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington in  New  York,  197, 
198 ; costumes  worn  by  men 
and  women,  214-216. 

Drayton,  William,  at  Mount 
Vernon,  171. 

Drinker, Mrs.  Henry,  describes 
the  Washingtons  at  Valley 
Forge,  125,  126;  writes  of 
yellow  fever,  242. 

Duane,  Mrs.  James,  in  New 
York,  215. 

Duchb,  Mrs.  Jacob,  92. 

Duer,  Lady  Kitty,  in  Morris- 
town, 114, 135;  in  New  York, 
199. 

Dunlap,  William,  author  of 
Darby’s  Return,  211. 

Dunmore,  Lady,  reception  in 
Virginia,  11,  80. 

Dunmore,  Lord,  arrives  in 
Virginia,  11,  79-81  ; on 

Virginia  coast,  89,  90,  106, 
107'. 

Du  Ponceau,  Peter,  describes 


Washington  at  Valley  Forge, 
123,  124. 

Durdin,  Mrs.  Richard,  marries 
William  Lewis,  239. 

Echakd,  Susan  R.,  describes 
inauguration  of  John  Adams, 
260,  261. 

Ellet,  Mrs.,  describes  Mrs. 
Washington,  112. 

Ellison,  Colonel  Thomas,  house 
of,  at  Newburgh,  143. 

Ellsworth,  Chief  Justice,  ad- 
ministers oath  to  John  Ad- 
ams, 260. 

Everett,  Edward,  quoted,  40, 
96. 

Fairfax,  George  William,  a 
friend  of  Washington’s,  37, 
156. 

Fairfax,  Lord  Thomas,  friend 
and  patron  of  Washington, 
29,  65,  70. 

Fairfax,  Mrs.  G.  W.,  supposed 
love  affair  with  Washington, 
37,  38;  letter  from  Mrs. 
Washington  to,  269,  270. 

Fairfax,  Rev.  Bryan,  much  at 
Mount  Vernon,  63,  70;  at 
Valley  Forge,  124;  after- 
wards Lord  Fairfax,  269,  277. 

Fairfax,  Thomas,  son  of  Rev. 
Bryan,  277. 

Fontlerov,  Rebecca,  early  love 
of  Washington’s,  43. 

Fauquier,  Francis,  Governor 
of  Virginia,  11;  at  Wash- 
ington’s wedding,  47. 

First  Troop,  Philadelphia  City 
Cavalry,  escorts  the  General 
and  Mrs.  Washington,  92. 

Fisher,  Myers,  240. 


INDEX 


Fitzgerald,  Colonel,  visits 
Mount  Vernon,  1G9. 

Fitzhugh,  Colonel  William,  of 
Chatham,  27,  177 ; enter- 
tains the  Washingtons,  178. 

Fitzhughs  in  Alexandria,  2G8, 
272. 

Ford,  Colonel  Jacob,  death  of, 
11 ; owner  of  Morristown 
headquarters,  133. 

Ford,  Mrs.  Jacob,  occupies 
headquarters  with  the  Wash- 
ingtons, 133,  134. 

Ford,  Paul  L.,  remarks  on  Mrs. 
Washington’s  housekeeping, 
159. 

Fox,  Gilbert,  first  sang  “ Hail 
Columbia”  at  Chestnut 
Street  Theatre,  Philadelphia, 
211. 

Franklin,  Dr.  Benjamin,  desires 
daughter  to  dance  well,  7 ; 
mentioned,  45,  121. 

Franklin,  Walter,  the  Washing- 
tons occupy  New  York  resi- 
dence of,  193. 

Franklin,  William,  Tory  Gov- 
ernor of  New  Jersey,  114. 

Fraunces,  Samuel,  sends  house- 
keeper to  Mrs.  Washington, 
159;  superintends  Washing- 
ton’s household,  200,  220. 

French  Alliance  celebrated  at 
Valley  Forge,  125;  at  Pluck- 
amin,  128. 

French,  Walter  H.,  discovers 
Mrs.  Washington’s  last  let- 
ter, 233. 

Fresnel,  M.,  tutor  to  G.  W. 
Lafayette,  235,  252,  262. 

Gates,  Mrs.  Horatio,  accom- 
panies Mrs.  Washington  to 
Cambridge,  94. 


Genet,  Citizen,  first  minister 
from  French  Republic  to 
United  States,  215. 

Gerard,  Conrad  Alexander,  re- 
view in  honor  of,  129,  130. 

Gerry,  Mrs.  Elbridge,  199. 

Gibbs,  Colonel  Caleb,  in  com- 
mand of  Life  Guard,  115. 

Gibson,  Mrs.  James,  241  (see 
Elizabeth  Bordlev) . 

Goddard,  Mr.,  at  Mount  Ver- 
non, 283. 

Goodrich,  Chauncev,  marries 
Miss  Wolcott,  215. 

Graham,  Mr.,  at  Mount  Vernon, 
172,  173. 

Graham,  Mrs.  Macaulay,  guest 
at  Mount  Vernon,  171,  172. 

Grasse,  Comte  de,  anecdote  of, 
138. 

Graydon,  Alexander,  describes 
General  Mifflin,  98. 

Grayson,  Rev.  Mr.,  169. 

Green,  Dr.  Ashbel,  remarks  on 
Washington’s  punctuality, 
235. 

Greene,  General  Nathaniel, 
quarters  in  New  Jersey,  114  ; 
Quartermaster-Generai  in 
New  Jersey,  119;  describes 
dancing  of  Washington,  128, 
129;  at  Morristown,  135. 

Greene,  Mrs.  Nathaniel,  dances 
with  General  Washington, 
129;  witnesses  review  in  New 
Jersey,  129,  130;  at  Morris- 
town, 135;  politeness  of  Gen- 
eral Washington  to,  209,  210. 

Greenleaf,  Daniel,  recollections 
of,  96. 

Griffith,  Dr.  David,  guest  at 
Mount  Vernon,  169. 

Grvmes,  Benjamin,  at  Morris- 
town, 132. 


295 


INDEX 


Grymes,  Lucy,  the  “Lowland 
Beauty,”  43. 

Guild,  Curtis,  57. 

Hail  Columbia,  origin  of, 

211. 

Hallam,  Lewis,  actor,  12,  231. 

Hamilton,  Colonel  Alexander, 
private  secretary  to  General 
Washington,  115;  attentions 
to  Miss  Schuyler,  132,  135, 
136;  mentioned,  210,  239, 
245. 

Hancock,  John,  President  of 
Congress,  93;  invites  the 
Washingtons  to  his  house  in 
Philadelphia,  105,  106. 

Hancock,  Mrs.  John,  in  Phila- 
delphia, 105,  106. 

Harrison,  Colonel  Benjamin, 
wishes  to  give  ball  to  Mrs. 
Washington,  93. 

Harrison,  Colonel  Robert  II. , 
in  Morristown,  115. 

Harrison,  Blrs.  Burton,  view 
regarding  Cary  sisters,  37 . 

Hart,  Charles  H.,  opinion  upon 
portrait  of  Mrs.  Washington, 
273. 

Hartlev,  Colonel,  in  Philadel- 
phia', 227,  231. 

Hasbrouck,  Jonathan,  founder 
of  Newburgh,  144. 

Hatfield,  Mrs.,  sister  of  Elias 
Boudinot,  113. 

Henderson,  Alexander,  at 
Blount  Vernon,  171. 

Henley,  Fanny,  marries  Mr. 
Lear,  245. 

Henry,  Patrick,  influence  of, 
69,  83;  at  Blount  Vernon,  81. 

Herbert,  Dr.  Wb'Iliam,  enter- 
tains the  Washingtons,  177. 

Herbert,  Mr.  John,  277. 


Hillhouse,  Mr.,  283,  284. 

Hiltzheimer,  Jacob,  surprise  at 
simplicity  of  General  Wash- 
ington’s life,  224,  225 ; death 
of,  244. 

Hollingsworth,  Captain,  escorts 
Washingtons  in  Baltimore, 
263. 

Hooper,  Mrs.  Thomas,  233. 

Ilopkinson,  Judge  Joseph, 
writes  words  of  “Hail  Col- 
umbia,” 211. 

Hopkinson,  Blrs.  Thomas,  92. 

Houdon,  French  sculptor,  at 
Blount  Vernon,  158. 

Howard,  Colonel  John  Eager, 
marriage  of,  175,  176. 

Howe,  General  Sir  William,  at 
Staten  Island,  107 ; quar- 
tered in  Philadelphia,  121. 

Humphreys,  David,  member  of 
Washington’s  military  fam- 
ily, 144,  195;  accompanies 
General  to  Blount  Vernon, 
151,  154,  172,  179;  visits 
Washingtons  in  Philadel- 
phia, 255. 

Hunter,  Mr.  John,  London 
merchant,  visits  Blount  Ver- 
non, 32,  157;  impressions  of 
Blrs.  Washington,  169,  170. 

Hunter,  William,  of  Alexan- 
dria, Washingtons  dine  with, 
177. 

Huntingdon,  Daniel,  paints  Re- 
publican Court,  214,  216. 

Iredell,  Judge  James,  de- 
scribes birthday  celebrations, 
229,  258,  259;  funeral  of 
Blrs.  Lear,  245;  dines  with 
President,  242;  present  at 
inauguration  of  John  Adams, 
260. 


296 


INDEX 


Irving,  Washington,  says 
Washington  was  married  at 
the  White  House,  4t> ; ac- 
counts for  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton's habit  of  knitting,  122. 

Izard,  Mrs.  Ralph,  formerly 
Alice  de  Lancey,  215;  visits 
Mount  Vernon  with  her 
daughter,  250,  251. 

Izard,  Ralph,  in  Hew  York, 

210. 

Jackson,  Major  William,  pri- 
vate secretary  to  Washing- 
ton, 198,  210,  238;  accom- 
panies President  on  Eastern 
trip,  206. 

Jansen,  Sallie,  146. 

Jay,  Hon.  John,  marries  Sarah 
Livingston.  115,  in  New 
York,  193,  216. 

Jay,  Mrs.  John,  daughter  of 
Governor  Livingston,  115; 
leader  of  fashion  in  New 
York,  216. 

Jefferson,  Thomas,  instructions 
on  his  daughter’s  dancing. 
7;  in  Philadelphia,  245,  262. 

John  Street  Theatre,  New 
York,  popularity  of,  210. 

Johnes,  Mrs.  Timothy,  patri- 
otism of,  118. 

Johnes,  Rev.  Timothy,  of  Mor- 
ristown, 111,  201. 

Johnson,  William  S.,  describes 
dinner  at  the  Washingtons’, 
20S,  209. 

Jones,  Frances  (see  Mrs.  John 
Dandridge). 

Jones,  Orlando,  ancestor  of 
Martha  Washington,  3. 

Jones,  Roland,  Rev.,  of  Bruton 
parish,  3. 


Kitchell,  Anna,  kindness  to 
soldiers,  118. 

Knights  of  the  Gulden  Horse- 
shoe, 1,  2. 

Knox,  General  Henry,  at  Cam- 
bridge, 99;  gives  entertain- 
ment at  Pluckamin,  128,  129; 
quarters  at  Morristown,  130- 
134;  at  Williamsburg,  138; 
Newburgh  quarters  of,  145, 
146;  friendship  with  Wash- 
ington, 1S2,  258. 

Knox,  Mrs.  Henry,  friendship 
with  Mrs.  Washington,  99;  at 
Valley  Forge,  121;  dances 
with  Washington,  128;  at 
Morristown,  129-131,  135; 
soirees  of,  146;  in  New  York, 
209;  in  Philadelphia,  228, 
236 ; Kosciusko,  General  in 
Morristown,  135. 

Lafayette,  George  Washing- 
ton, in  Philadelphia,  235; 
visits  Mount  Vernon,  252, 
262,  267. 

Lafayette,  Marquis  de,  affec- 
tion of  the  Washingtons  for, 
135;  subscribes  to  relief  as- 
sociation, 136,  137 ; at  Wil- 
liamsburg, 138 ; at  Newburgh, 
145;  at  Mount  Vernon,  167; 
ball  at  Annapolis  in  honor 
of,  168. 

Latrobe,  Benjamin,  describes 
visit  to  Mount  Vernon,  266- 
268. 

Laurens,  Honorable  Henrjq  vis- 
ited by  the  Washingtons,  128. 

Law,  Mrs.  Thomas,  258  (see 
Elizabeth  Custis). 

Law,  Thomas,  marries  Eliza- 
beth Custis,  242;  lives  in 
Washington,  269. 


297 


INDEX 


Lear,  Mrs.  Tobias,  in  Philadel- 
phia, 218;  sudden  death  of, 
214,  245. 

Lear,  Tobias,  secretary  to  Gene- 
ral Washington,  174, 179, 198, 
205,  206,  209;  ability  of,  220, 
208;  death  of  wife,  244,  245; 
second  and  third  marriages, 
244,  245,  265 ; in  Alexandria, 
249,  250;  in  Philadelphia, 
253,  254;  at  Mount  Vernon, 
267;  describes  last  illness  of 
General  Washington,  278, 
279,  280. 

Lee,  Arthur,  in  London,  70. 

Lee,  General  Charles,  received 
at  Valley  Forge,  124,  125. 

Lee,  General  Henry,  commands 
Virginia  lighthorse,  130; 
dines  with  General  Wash- 
ington, anecdote  of,  163; 
Governor  of  Virginia,  200, 
258. 

Lee,  Ludwell,  at  Mount  Ver- 
non, 169,  180. 

Lee,  Richard  Henry,  delegate 
to  General  Congress,  83 ; at 
Blount  Vernon,  169. 

Lewis,  Lawrence,  marries  Nelly 
Custis,  275,  276,  284;  eldest 
child  born  at  Blount  Vernon, 
276. 

Lewis,  Blrs.  Fielding  (Betty 
Washington),  discussion 
about  portrait  of,  31 ; home 
of.  155,  177. 

Lewis,  Blrs.  Lawrence,  48  (see 
Nelly  Custis). 

Lewis,  Blrs.  Warner,  accom- 
panies Blrs.  Washington  to 
Cambridge,  94,  95. 

Lewis,  Robert,  nephew  of 
General  Washington,  escorts 
Blrs.  Washington  to  Cam- 


bridge, 184;  journal  of,  185- 
190. 

Lewis,  William,  marries  Blrs. 
Durdin,  239. 

Liston,  Blrs.,  wife  of  the  British 
minister,  262,  266. 

Liston,  Sir  Robert,  British  min- 
ister to  United  States,  215; 
visits  Blount  Vernon,  266. 

Livingston,  Catharine,  j’oung- 
est  daughter  of  Governor 
Livingston,  114,  115;  at 
Basking  Ridge,  132. 

Livingston,  Blrs.,  of  Clermont, 
215. 

Livingston,  Blrs.,  Robert  R.,  at 
West  Point,  146;  in  New 
York,  215. 

Livingston,  Sarah,  115;  see 
Blrs.  John  Jay. 

Livingston,  Susan,  a wit  in 
Revolutionary  times,  114, 
115;  at  Basking  Ridge,  132. 

Livingston,  William,  Governor 
of  New  Jersey,  114;  Liberty 
Hall  Residence  of,  192. 

Lodge,  Henry  C.,  says  Blrs. 
Washington  was  married  at 
St.  Peter’s  Church,  44-46. 

Logan,  Deborah,  describes  visit 
to  Blount  Vernon,  172,  173. 

Logan,  Dr.  George,  at  Blount 
Vernon,  172,  175. 

Lott,  Cornelia,  in  Blorristown, 
135. 

Ludlow,  Israel,  marries  Char- 
lotte Chambers,  227. 

Luzerne,  Chevalier  dc  la,  at 
Blorristown,  135 ; subscribes 
to  relief  association,  137 ; en- 
tertains the  Washingtons, 
141 ; at  Blount  Vernon,  167. 

Lynch,  Blrs.,  in  New  York, 
199. 


298 


INDEX 


McClenachan,  Deborah,  in 
Philadelphia,  222,  223. 

McComb’s  new  house,  after- 
wards known  as  Mansion 
House  and  Bunker’s  Hotel, 
193,  214. 

BIcEvees,  Miss,  at  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington’s reception,  194. 

McHenry,  Dr.  James,  of  Balti- 
more, 188,  189;  Washington 
writes  to,  265. 

Maclay,  William,  regrets  leav- 
ing New  York,  199,  218  ; de- 
scribes dinners  in  New  York, 
20G,  207. 

Macon,  Martha,  ancestress  of 
Martha  Washington,  3. 

Macubbin,  Mrs.  James,  opens 
ball  with  Washington,  151. 

McWhirr,  Dr.,  describes  a fam- 
ily dinner  at  Mount  Vernon, 
165,  166. 

Magowen,  Mr.,  63. 

Manigault,  Mrs.,  daughter  of 
Ralph  Izard,  250. 

Marriner,  Captain,  tavern  of, 
in  Harlem,  210. 

Marshall,  Christopher,  opposes 
giving  ball  to  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton. 93. 

Marshall,  James,  marries  Miss 
Morris,  255. 

Mason,  George,  of  Gunston 
Hall,  guest  at  Mount  Vernon, 
65,  70,  80;  advises  Mrs. 
Washington  to  leave  Mount 
Vernon,  90;  learning  and 
statesmanship  of,  153. 

Massey,  Rev.  Lee,  201. 

Mattoon,  Mr.,  at  Mount  Ver- 
non, 283, 

Maxwell,  General  William,  at 
Valley  Forge,  126;  at  Mor- 
ristown, 134. 


Meade,  Bishop,  says  Washing- 
ton was  married  at  the  White 
House,  23. 

Meade,  Colonel  Richard  Iv.,  in 
Morristown,  115. 

Merry,  Mrs.,  marries  Thomas 
Wignell,  211. 

Mifflin,  Mrs.  Thomas,  in  Cam- 
bridge, 98,  100. 

Mifflin,  General  Thomas,  gives 
a dinner  to  Indian  chiefs,  98; 
Washington  resigns  commis- 
sion to,  151 ; entertains  Wash- 
ington in  Philadelphia,  175; 
escorts  Mrs.  Washington  into 
Philadelphia,  190. 

Miles,  Captain  of  First  Troop, 
Philadelphia  City  Cavalry, 
190. 

Mirailles,  Don  Juan,  in  New 
Jersey,  129,  135;  death  of, 
136. 

Montgomery,  Mrs.  James,  in 
New  York,  146 ; politeness 
of  Washington  to,  209,  215. 

Montpelier  House,  hospitality 
dispensed  at,  186. 

Morgan,  Dr.  John,  at  Cam- 
bridge, inoculates  Mrs. 
Washington,  105. 

Morgan,  Mrs.  John,  at  Cam- 
bridge, 99,  100,  101. 

Morris,  Captain  Samuel,  es- 
corts the  Washingtons,  201, 
202. 

Morris,  Chief  Justice,  pew  in 
Saint  Paul’s  Church,  New 
York,  201,  202. 

Morris,  Elliston  P.,  home  of, 
246. 

Morris,  Gouverneur,  at  Blount 
Vernon,  176. 

Blorris,  Hetty,  marries  James 
Marshall,  255,  271. 


299 


INDEX 


Morris,  Robert,  entertains  the 
Washingtons,  128-142;  stays 
at  Mount  Vernon,  17G;  meets 
Mrs.  Washington  in  New 
Jersey,  192  ; Washingtons 
occupy  home  of,  220,  222, 
224 ; marriage  of  daughter, 
255;  financial  difficulties  of, 
271. 

Morris,  Mrs.  Robert,  patriotism 
of,  83;  visits  Mount  Vernon, 
176,  177;  meets  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington at  Philadelphia,  191; 
accompanies  her  to  New 
York,  192, 199;  in  New  York, 
207,  208,  214;  a friend  of 
Mrs.  Washington’s,  222,  271; 
country  seat  of,  237. 

Morse,  Dr.  .Jedediah,  describes 
dinner  at  Mount  Vernon, 
171. 

Mortier,  Abraham,  bun  mot 
about,  202. 

Mortier  House,  headquarters  of 
General  Washington  in  1776, 
scene  of  Hickey  plot,  202. 

Morton,  John,  of  New  York, 
lives  near  Morristown,  113. 

Mossom,  Rev.  Mr.,  marries 
Washingtons,  45. 

Moustier,  Comte  de,  visits  at 
Mount  Vernon,  179 ; gives 
ball  in  New  York,  215. 


Neill,  Rev.  E.  D.,  quotes  let- 
ters of  Mary  Cary,  37,  38, 
40. 

New  Jersey  women,  patriotism 
of,  118. 

New  Year’s  Day  observances  in 
New  York,  213,  214,  215. 

Nicholas,  Robert  Carter,  agent 
of  Mrs.  Washington,  25. 


Nicholson,  Francis,  lays  out 
Williamsburg,  9;  patron  of 
William  and  Mary,  18. 

Osgood,  Samuel,  marries 
widow  of  Walter  Franklin, 
193. 

Otis,  Mrs.  Harrison  Gray  (Sally 
Foster),  215. 

Paca,  William,  Governor  of 
Maryland,  escorts  General 
Washington,  152. 

Page,  Governor  John,  com- 
pares New  York  and  Phila- 
delphia, 219. 

Page,  Mann,  gives  dinner  for 
General  Washington,  177. 

Parke,  Daniel,  eccentricities 
of,  17,  18  ; service  to  Queen 
Anne,  19. 

Parke,  Frances  (see  Frances 
Parke  Custis). 

Peale,  Charles  Willson,  trans- 
parencies exhibited  by,  140, 
141  ; paints  portrait  of  Mrs. 
Washington,  174,  256. 

Peale,  James,  relates  anecdote 
of  Mrs. Washington,  256,257. 

Pendleton,  Edmund,  impres- 
sions cf  Mrs.  Washington, 
81,  82. 

Penn,  Governor  John,  carriage 
of,  224. 

Penn,  Mrs.  John,  lives  at 
Landsdowne,  237. 

Peter,  Eleanor,  great-grand- 
child of  Mrs.  Washington, 
266. 

Peter,  Mrs.  Thomas,  264,  266 
(see  Martha  Custis). 

Peter,  Mr.  Thomas,  marries 
Martha  Custis,  242,  253, 266, 
269. 


300 


INDEX 


Peters,  Judge  Richard,  lives  at 
Belmont,  240,  245. 

Philadelphia,  City  Cavalry, 
First  Troop  of,  meet  Mrs. 
Washington  at  Chester,  190. 

Philipse,  Mary,  admired  by 
Washington,  43. 

Pickering,  Timothy,  at  Mor- 
ristown, 111 ; Secretary  of 
War,  183. 

Pinckney,  Charles  Cotesworth, 
visits  Mount  Yernon,  176. 

Tine,  Robert  Edge,  paints  por- 
traits of  the  Washingtons, 
173,  174,  196,  256. 

Pleasants,  Mrs.,  at  Valley 
Forge,  125. 

Pohick  Church,  Washington 
interested  in  rebuilding,  67. 

Popham,  Major,  says  Wash- 
ington was  a communicant, 
201,  202. 

Porterfield,  General  Robert, 
201. 

Potts,  Isaac,  owns  head- 
quarters at  Valley  Forge, 
120,  122. 

Powcl,  Mr.  Samuel,  friend  of 
the  Washingtons,  176,  238. 

Powel,  Mrs.  Samuel,  attrac- 
tions of,  238,239  ; letter  from 
Mrs.  Washington  to,  270- 
272. 

Prescott,  General,  capture  of, 
124. 

Priestly,  Hr.  Joseph,  in  Phila- 
delphia, 235. 

Randolph,  John,  accompanies 
Lord  Dunmore,  89. 

Randolph,  Peyton,  delegate  to 
General  Congress,  83. 

Rawle,  William,  marries  Sarah 
Coates  Burge,  239. 


Rawle,  William,  Jr.,  anecdote 
of,  240. 

Reed,  General  Joseph,  receives 
Mrs.  Washington  in  Phila- 
delphia, 92-94. 

Reed,  Mrs.  Joseph,  entertains 
Mrs.  Washington,  92,  137. 

Richmond  Hill,  residence  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Adams,  202, 
218. 

Robertson,  Archibald,  "paints 
portrait  of  the  Washingtons, 
208,  256. 

Rochambeau,  Count  de,  at 
Mount  Vernon,  138  ; at 
Newburgh,  144. 

Rochefoucault,  Duke  de,  de- 
scribes Philadelphia  life,  229, 
237. 

Rush,  Richard,  describes  Phila- 
delphia residence  of  Wash- 
ington, 221. 

Russell,  Thomas,  owns  Craigie 
house,  96. 

St.  Peter’s  Church,  New 
Kent  County,  23,  44,  45. 

Schuyler,  Elizabeth,  in  Mor- 
ristown, 132,  135. 

Schuyler,  General  Philip,  in 
New  York,  210. 

Smith,  William  S-,  at  Annapo- 
lis; marriage  of,  154. 

Smith,  Mrs.  William,  daughter 
of  John  Adams,  210,  215. 

Snowden,  Major,  entertains  the 
Washingtons,  185,  186. 

Spottiswood,  Alexander,  Gov- 
ernor, 12. 

Spotswood,  General,  visit  of 
General  Washington  to,  177 ; 
at  Mount  Vernon,  266. 

Stark,  General  John,  command 
of,  at  Morristown,  135. 


301 


INDEX 


Steuben,  Baron,  at  Valley 
Forge,  1 23,  124;  Morristown, 
135;  at  Newburgh,  145;  in 
New  York,  210 

Stewart,  Mrs.  Walter,  lives 
near  the  Washingtons  in 
Philadelphia,  222,  239. 

Stirling,  Lady,  a sister  of 
Governor  Livingston,  114 ; at 
Valley  Forge,  121 ; near  Mor- 
ristown, 135;  New  York,  199. 

Stuart,  Dr.  David,  149,  150; 
daughters  of,  284. 

Stuart,  Gilbert,  paints  portraits 
of  the  Washingtons,  197, 
25(1-258:  of  Elizabeth  and 
Nelly  Gustis,  242,  273. 

Temple,  Lady,  wife  of  British 
minister,  199. 

Thacher,  Dr.  James,  in  camp, 
102,  130. 

Theatre,  Chestnut  Street  above 
Sixth,  opens,  232. 

Tilghman,  Colonel  Tench,  at 
Valley  Forge,  125;  at  Mor- 
ristown, 132,  133;  at  New- 
burgh, 144  ; with  Wash- 
ington at  Annapolis,  151, 
154. 

Tracy,  lion.  Uriah,  reply  to 
British  minister,  215. 

Tracy,  Nathaniel,  of  Newbury- 
port,  96. 

Travis,  Mrs.  John,  Philadel- 
phia, beauty  of,  239. 

Troupe,  Mrs.,  describes  visit  to 
Mrs.  Washington,  116. 

Trumbull,  Governor,  friend  of 
Washington’s,  275.  280 ; letter 
from  Mrs.  Washington  to, 
280. 

Trumbull,  John,  portrait  of 
Washington,  29. 


Tuttle,  Dr.  Joseph,  reminis- 
cences of,  116,  118,  132. 

Twining,  Thomas,  describes  the 
Washingtons  in  Phdadel- 
phia,  221,  222. 

Tyler,  Lyon  G.,  president  of 
William  and  Mary,  18,  46. 

Van  IIorne,  Colonel,  186, 187. 

Vassall,  Colonel  John,  96. 

Vaughan,  Mrs.  Samuel,  at 
Mount  Vernon,  175. 

Villefranche,  Major,  designs 
arbor  at  West  Point,  147. 

Volney,  Mr.,  at  Mount  Vernon, 
286. 


Walker,  Benjamin,  144,  151, 
154. 

Wansey,  Mr.  Henry,  describes 
theatre  in  Philadelphia,  219, 
220 ; breakfasts  at  the  Wash- 
ingtons’, 233,  237. 

Warren,  Dr.  James,  President 
of  Provincial  Council,  99 ; 
Mrs.  James,  friend  of  Mrs. 
Washington,  99,  100  ; de- 
scribes Mrs.  Washington  and 
family,  100,  102,  104^  105. 

Warren,  Mrs.  James,  letters 
from  Mrs.  Washington  to, 
120,  203,  204. 

Warville,  Brissot  de.  describes 
Washingtons  at  Mount  Ver- 
non, 166,  167. 

Washington,  Betty,  sister  of 
the  General,  31  (see  Mrs. 
Fielding  Lewis). 

Washington,  George,  meets 
Mrs.  Custis,  25-28,  32;  ap- 
pearance and  manners,  28- 
30:  portraits  earlv  and  late, 
29,  30,  32,  173,  180,  255,  258; 


. 302 


INDEX 


intimacy  with  Lord  Fairfax, 
2U ; with  G.  W.  Fairfax  and 
wife,  38,  39,  158;  courtship, 
31-36,  44;  letter  to  Mrs.  Cus- 
tis,  37 ; early  love  affairs, 
37-44;  married  to  Martha 
Custis,  44-49 ; sends  certifi- 
cate of  marriage  to  Robert 
Cary,  50;  elected  to  House 
of  Burgesses,  50-52;  takes 
wife  to  Mount  Vernon,  53;  a 
good  step-father,  53,  54;  fre- 
quent visits  to  Williamsburg, 
55,  57 ; orders  clothes  aud 
livery  from  London,  58,72; 
enjoys  country  pursuits,  58, 
63,  179,  182 ; fondness  for 
hunting,  63;  a hospitable 
host,  64,  65;  vestryman  in 
Christ  Church,  Alexandria, 
67 ; interested  in  rebuilding 
of  Pohick  Church,  67;  takes 
John  Custis  to  King’s  Col- 
lege, 73 ; present  at  marriage 
of,  78;  great  affection  for 
Patsey  Custis,  75-77 ; dele- 
gate to  General  Congress,  81- 
83;  Commander-in-Chief,  84; 
letter  to  his  wife  on  taking 
command,  84,  85 ; humorous 
expressions  on  married  life, 
86 ; long  absence  from  Mount 
Vernon,  88,  137;  in  Cam- 
bridge, 93,  97 ; headquarters 
in  New  York,  105;  declines 
John  Hancock’s  invitation, 
196;  the  Hickey  plot,  106;  in 
Morristown,  110,  130,  133, 
134;  illnesses  of,  111,  204, 
212;  encourages  sociability 
at  headquarters,  115;  at  Val- 
ley Forge,  120;  described  by 
Elkanah  Watson  and  Peter 
Du  Ponceau,  121,  123,  124; 


receives  General  Charles  Lee, 
124,  125;  celebrates  French 
alliance  at  Valley  Forge,  126; 
at  Fredericksburg,  128;  guest 
of  Henry  Laurens  in  Phila- 
delphia, 128 ; reviews  troops 
in  presence  of  Indian  chiefs, 
130;  at  Hampton,  138;  leaves 
field  of  Yorktown  to  attend 
deathbed  of  John  Custis,  13S, 
139 ; adopts  younger  children 
of,  139;  enters  into  rejoi- 
cings in  Philadelphia,  140, 
141;  attends  Commencement 
of  University,  142;  goes  to 
Newburgh,  142;  at  New- 
burgh, 143;  entertains  distin- 
guished guests,  144;  attends 
entertainment  in  honor  of 
Dauphin,  146,  147;  declines 
to  give  advice  on  marriage, 
149,  150;  resigns  commission 
at  Annapolis,  150;  returns 
to  Mount  Vernon,  152,  153; 
visits  mother,  154,  174,  178; 
generosity  to,  184,  185;  enter- 
tains many  guests,  155,  156, 
171-174;  enlarges  house  at 
Mount  Vernon,  157;  anec- 
dotes of  home  life,  160-165; 
guilty  of  a pun,  165,  166; 
visited  by  Luzerne  and  La- 
fayette, 167,  168 ; described 
bv  Mr.  John  Hunter,  169, 
170;  attends  federal  conven- 
tion in  Philadelphia,  174- 
176;  trip  to  Fredericksburg, 
177,  178;  reluctant  to  enter 
public  life,  178,  179,  182, 
183;  meets  Mrs.  Washington 
in  New  Jersey,  192;  resi- 
dences in  New  York  and 
Philadelphia,  193,  220,  222; 
etiquette  political  and  social, 


303 


INDEX 


194,  195,  198;  levees  and 
drawing-rooms,  195, 196,  214, 
228 ; churches  attended  by, 
in  New  York  and  Philadel- 
phia, 201,  232,  233;  com- 
municant of  English  church, 
201,  202;  sets  out  on  Eastern 
tour,  204,  206;  state  dinners 
described,  206,  207,  234,  235; 
desires  to  avoid  extravagance 
in  living,  200;  attends  theatre 
in  New  York  and  Philadel- 
phia, 209-212, 231, 232;  death 
of  mother,  213;  remarks  on 
New  Year  customs,  213; 
coaches  of,  223-226;  birth- 
day celebrations,  229,  231, 
258,  259;  entertains  Indians, 
236 ; occupies  house  in  Ger- 
mantown, 240;  Whiskey  Ke- 
bellion,  250;  visit  of  George 
Washington  Lafayette  to, 
252  ; at  inauguration  of  John 
Adams,  260,  201 ; farewell 
dinner,  261,  262  ; leaves 

Philadelphia,  202,  203;  life 
at  Mount  Vernon,  264-268; 
facetious  letter  of,  272,  273; 
writes  upon  love  affairs  of 
Nelly  Custis,  274-276;  Mrs. 
Carrington’s  description  of, 
276,  277 ; beginning  of  last 
illness, 278;  illness  and  death 
described  by  Mr.  Lear,  279, 
280;  temporary  resting-place, 
281 ; removal  to  new  tomb, 
281 ; proposal  to  remove  re- 
mains of  Washington  to  the 
capital,  281,  282. 

Washington,  George  Augus- 
tine, marriage  of,  162,  169. 

Washington,  John  Augustine, 
brother  of  the  General,  dies, 
175. 


Washington,  Judge  Bushrod, 
185,  266. 

Washington,  Lawrence,  brother 
of  the  General,  29. 

Washington,  Lawrence,  231. 

Washington,  Lewis  W.,  opin- 
ion on  portrait  of  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington, 31. 

Washington,  Lund,  superin- 
tendent at  Mount  Vernon, 
65,  71,  91,  149;  anecdotes  of, 
65,  66,  157;  writes  to  Gen- 
eral about  danger  to  Mrs. 
Washington,  88,  89. 

Washington,  Martha,  birth  and 
ancestry,  3-5;  education,  6- 
8;  belle  in  Williamsburg,  14, 
16 ; marriage  to  D.  P.  Custis, 
20-23;  children,  24;  death  of 
husband,  24,  25;  residence 
during  widowhood,  23;  meets 
Washington,  25-30;  Woolas- 
ton  portrait,  31,  32;  court- 
ship, 32-37;  marriage,  44-50; 
spends  honeymoon  in  Wil- 
liamsburg, 50;  estate  of,  36, 
50,  62;  happiness  at  Mount 
Vernon,  53,  58;  an  anxious 
mother,  54-57 ; a notable 
housewife,  58,  61,  62,  65; 
London  clothes  ordered  for, 
58,  59  ; benevolence,  66,  67  ; 
patriotism,  70,  71,  80-83; 
illness  and  death  of  daughter, 
72,  75-77 ; letter  to  Eleanor 
Calvert,  78  ; letter  from  Gen- 
eral to,  on  taking  command, 
84;  thought  to  be  in  danger 
at  Mount.  Vernon,  88-91;  sets 
out  for  Cambridge,  90;  first 
called  Lady  Washington  in 
Philadelphia,  94;  in  Cam- 
bridge, 96,  97;  encourages 
sociability  at  headquarters, 


304 


INDEX 


97,113,115,  129;  friendship 
with  Mrs.  Knox  and  Mrs. 
Warren,  99,  100;  inoculated 
for  small-pox  in  Philadel- 
phia, 105,  106;  in  Morris- 
town, 77,  109,  119,  130;  de- 
scribed by  Mrs.  Bland,  112; 
amusing  account  of  visit  from 
Morristown  women,  116, 117 ; 
at  Valley  Forge,  120 ; de- 
scribes quarters,  120;  helps 
sick  and  wounded,  122,  123; 
described  by  Mrs.  Drinker, 
125 ; devotion  of  soldiers  to, 
126;  describes  review  of 
troops,  130;  night  alarms  in 
Ford  mansion,  134;  nurses 
de  Mirailles  in  last  illness, 
136;  joins  soldiers’  aid  so- 
ciety, 136,  137 ; receives  the 
General  at  Mount  Vernon, 
137 ; death  of  son,  138,  139 ; 
accompanies  the  General  to 
Philadelphia,  140 ; at  New- 
burgh,  143;  entertains  distin- 
guished guests,  144;  spends 
summer  in  camp,  illness,  148, 
149;  meets  Washington  at 
Annapolis,  150 ; returns  to 
Mount  Vernon,  152,  153;  du- 
ties as  hostess,  158,  159 ; 
happiness  in  home  life,  160, 
264-206,  276;  a strict  dis- 
ciplinarian, 162;  anecdote  of 
curl  papers,  164;  unexpected 
arrival  of  guests,  164;  invi- 
tation to,  from  the  March- 
ioness de  Lafayette,  167 ; por- 
traits of,  173,  174,  256,  257; 
reluctance  to  leave  Mount 
Vernon,  183  ; does  not  ac- 
company her  husband  to  the 
capital,  184;  travels  under 
care  of  Robert  Lewis,  184, 
20 


185,  186;  reception  in  Balti- 
more, 187, 190;  honors  shown 
to,  in  Pennsylvania  and  New 
Jersey,  190-192  ; welcome  in 
New  York,  193,  199;  eti- 
quette, 194,  195 ; drawing 
rooms  in  New  York,  197,  198, 
214,  215;  regular  attendant 
of  church,  201;  expressions 
upon  public  life,  202-206;  de- 
scriptions of,  209, 222 ; house- 
hold of,  220,  221;  drawing- 
rooms described,  226-228; 
attends  birthnight  ball,  230  ; 
simplicity  in  domestic  life, 
233,  234;  congenial  life  in 
Philadelphia,  237-245;  in 
Germantown,  246  ; letters  to 
Mrs.  G.  A.  Washington,  246, 
255;  returns  to  Mount  Ver- 
non, 262,  263 ; letters  to  old 
friends,  269,  271,  272;  de- 
scriptions of,  in  later  days, 
277,  283,  284  ; the  gath- 
ering twilight,  279,  280; 
fortitude  under  affliction, 
280,  281 ; letter  to  Congress, 
282;  visited  by  Manasseh 
Cutler  and  others,  283-285; 
illness  and  death,  285, 
286. 

Washington,  Mary,  visits  of,  to 
her  son  George,  154,  174, 
178;  gifts  of  Washington  to, 
184;  character  of,  184;  death 
of,  213. 

Washington,  Mrs.  George 
Augustine  (Fanny  Bassett), 
letters  from  Mrs.  Washing- 
ton to,  204-206,  246-255; 
Washington  writes  to,  244; 
visits  Mrs.  Washington  in 
Philadelphia,  352  ; marries 
Mr.  Lear,  265. 


305 


INDEX 


Washington,  Mrs.  Jane,  letter 
to,  201,  202. 

Washington,  Mrs.  Lund,  at 
wedding  of  G.  A.  Washing- 
ton, 169. 

Washington,  Mrs.  Warner, 
277. 

Washington,  Richard,  of  Lon- 
don, 58. 

Washington,  Warner,  63. 

Watson,  Elkanah,  at  Valley 
Forge,  121;  at  Mount  Ver- 
non, 171. 

Watts,  Lady  Mary,  199. 

Wayne,  General  Anthony,  at 
Morristown,  134. 

Westlake,  Mrs.,  describes  Mrs. 
Washington  at  Valley  Forge, 
122,  123. 

West,  Nathaniel,  Colonel,  4. 

West  Unity,  4. 

Whaley,  Matthew,  the  Mattey 
School,  10. 

Whaley,  Mrs.  Mary,  10. 

Wharton,  Thomas,  Governor  of 
Pennsylvania,  125. 

White,  Bishop,  describes  fare- 
well dinner  to  President 
Washington,  262. 


Wick,  Temperance,  exploit  of, 
131,  132. 

Wignell,  Thomas,  English 
actor,  211. 

W illiarn  and  Mary  College 
founded,  9,  18. 

Williamsburg,  social  life  of,  8, 

11,  12. 

Willis,  Colonel,  gives  dinner  to 
Washington,  178. 

Wilson,  Judge  James,  245,  260. 

Wingate,  Hon.  Paine,  dines 
with  Washingtons,  199. 

Wolcott,  Miss,  marries  Chaun- 
cey  Goodrich,  215. 

Wolcott,  Mrs.  Olive,  attrac- 
tions of,  215 ; in  Philadelphia, 
228;  Nelly  Custis  writes  to, 
263,  273,  274. 

Wolcott,  Oliver,  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury,  234,  235. 

Wynkoop,  Henry,  speaker, 
calls  on  Mrs.  Morris,  199. 

Yrujo,  Marquis  de,  minister 
from  Spain,  at  Mount  Ver- 
non, 252. 


306 


“These  volumes  form  a valuable  contribution  to  the  lit- 
erature of  the  history  of  this  Nation — T3ie  Outlook, 


WOMEN  OF  COLONIAL  and 
REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES 

The  Set  Complete  : 

Catherine  Schuyler  Martha  Washing-ton 

By  Mary  G2y  Humphreys  By  Anne  Hollingsworth  Wharton 

Marg-aret  Winthrop  Mercy  Warren 

By  Alice  Morse  Earle  By  Alice  Brown 

Eliza  Pinckney  Dolly  Madison 

By  Harriott  Horry  Ravenel  By  Maud  Wilder  Goodwin 

Each  with  photogravure  portrait  or  facsimile  reproduction , 
gilt  top,  uncut  edges.  Si. 25 

SIX  VOLUMES  IN  A BOX,  $7.50. 


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From  The  Dial  (Chicago). 

«E  should  like  to  see  the  admirable  little 
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ftSyyifjji  Colonial  and  Revolutionary  Times,’ 
now  issuing  from  the  press  of  Messrs.  Charles 
Scribner’s  Sons,  placed  within  reach  of  every 
American  woman.  The  books  have  the  right 
ring.  Their  tone  is  sympathetic,  yet  critical ; 
they  are  evidently  the  fruit  of  patient  reflection 
and  research.  They  present,  in  a concise  and 
attractive  way,  facts  which  a true  American 
woman  should  blush  to  be  ignorant  of.  Patriot- 
ism needs,  as  it  craves,  a past  of  its  own,  — a 
national  Golden  Age  of  exemplary  deeds  and 
virtues,  a heroic  era  which  looms  larger  through 
the  mists  of  time.  It  is  not  enough  to  feed  the 
imagination  on  the  annals  of  Greece  and  Rome. 
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terns of  high  conduct  in  the  day  of  trial,  these 
beautiful  little  volumes  abundantly  attest.” 

I 


CATHERINE  SCHUYLER  (daughter  of  John 
Van  Rensselaer  and  Engeltie  Livingston,  and 
wife  of  Major-General  Philip  Schuyler).  By- 
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times.  Mrs.  Schuyler’s  life  touched  upon  the 
most  important  events  of  her  day,  and  furnishes 
an  interesting  and  valuable  series  of  pictures  of 
the  manners  and  customs  of  her  time  in  Albany, 
in  the  old  Hudson  River  manor  houses,  in  New 
York  City,  in  camp,  etc. 

I — Courtship  at  Albany  VIII  — Making  Ready  for  the 
II  — A Soldier’s  Wife  Storm 

III  — The  Young  Mistress  IX  — The  Beginning  of  the 

IV  — Young  Married  Life  Struggle 

V  — TheMistressof  theMan-  X — The  Battle  of  Saratoga 

sion  XI  — Campaigning  at  Morris- 

VI  — The  Chatelaine  of  Sara-  town 

toga  XII  — Girls  and  Boys 

VII  — Visiting  and  Receiving  XIII  — The  First  Administration 
Visits  XIV  — Nearing  the  End 

“It  is  to  be  hoped  that  American  girls  are  reading  this  series  of  biog- 
raphies.”  — Boston  Journal. 

MARTHA  WASHINGTON.  By  Anne  H.  Wharton. 

With  Portrait  in  Photogravure,  12mo,  $1.25. 

I — A Little  Virginia  Maid  VI  — A Journey  to  Cambridge 
II  — An  Early  Marriage  VII — Camp  Life 

III  — The  Young  Virginia  VIII  — After  the  War 

Colonel  IX  — Life  in  New  York. 

IV  — Early DaysatMt. Vernon  X — Philadelphia  the  Capital 

V — The  Shadow  of  Coming  XI  — Last  Days  at  Mt.  Vernon 

Events 

“The  task  has  been  well  performed.  A mono- 
graph on  Mrs.  Washington  has  been  needed,  and 
we  have  it  here  written  with  animation  and  with 
skill.”  — New  York  Tribune. 

“None  of  the  preceding  volumes  has  surpassed 
this  in  importance  or  interest.”  — Chicago  Inter- 
Ocean. 


2 


MARGARET  WINTHROP  (wife  of  the  Gover- 
nor of  Massachusetts).  By  Alice  Morse  Earle. 
With  Facsimile  Reproduction,  12mo,  $1.25. 

I — A Puritan  Wooing  VIII — Woman  Friends  and 

II — Margaret  Winthrop’s  Neighbors 

Home  IX — Religious  Life  in  Boston 

III —  The  Puritan  Housewife  X — Mistress  Anne  Hutchin- 

IV —  Conclusions  for  New  son 

England  XI — Acadia  and  New  England 

V — Separation  and  Reunion  XII— Public  Events  and  Clos- 
VI  — Home  Life  in  Boston  ing  Days 

VII — Social  Life  in  Boston 

“ The  volume  is  history,  biograph}’,  romance  com- 
bined. It  is  accurate  in  its  descriptions,  author- 
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some  excellent  work ; but  her  ‘ Margaret  Win- 
throp  ’ is  her  best,  and  can  hardly  fail  to  become 
a classic.”  — Boston  Advertiser. 

“ The  series  introduced  by  Messrs.  Scribner's  Sons  is  admirable  in 
intention , and  so  jar  excellent  in  execution , and  ice  may  safely  predict 
tho  it  will  prove  a valuable  element  in  the  education  of  the  American 
girl."  — New  York  Times. 

DOLLY  MADISON  (wife  of  James  Madison). 
By  Maud  Wilder  Goodwin.  With  Portrait  in 
Photogravure,  12mo,  $1.25. 

I — Childhood  VIII  — War  Clouds 

II  — A Quaker  Girlhood  IX  — The  Burning  of  Wash- 

Ill — Friend  John  Todd  ington 

IV  — “The  Great  Little  Mad-  X — Peace 

ison  ” XI  — Life  at  Montpellier 

V  — The  New  Capital  XII  — Virginia  Hospitality 

VI  — Wife  of  the  Secretary  XIII  — Last  Days  at  Montpellier 
of  State  XIV  — Washington  Once  More 

VII  — In  the  White  House  XV  — Old  Age  and  Death 

“This  is  something  more  than  an  account  of  a 
person  ; it  is  a sketch,  done  in  careful  but  still 
easy  fashion,  affording  glimpses  of  life  and  man- 
ners in  Virginia  and  in  Washington  during  the 
last  half  of  the  eighteenth  and  the  first  half  of 
the  present  century.  . . . We  repeat,  that  this  is 
an  unusually  good  piece  of  biographical  work. 
It  is  well  written,  and  it  displays  an  admirable 
sense  of  what  is  worth  while.  Mrs.  Goodwin  is 
to  be  congratulated.”  — New  York  Sun. 

3 


MERCY  WARREN  (sister  of  James  Otis).  By 
Alice  Brown.  With  Portrait  in  Photogravure, 
12mo,  $1.25. 

I—  In  the  Beginning  VIII — The  History  of  the  Revo- 

II — Barnstable  Days  , lution 

III —  Life  at  Plymouth  IX — An  Historical  Difference 

IV —  The  Testimony  of  Letters  X — Thought  and  Opinion 

V — The  Woman’s  Part  XI — The  Beloved  Son 

VI  — Early  American  Literature  XII — On  Milton  Hill 

VII — Literary  Work  XIII— Terminus 

*•  But  the  beauty  of  her  life  has  not  departed,  and 
she  is  remembered  now  by  her  genius  for  making 
friends,  her  skill  in  portraying  them,  and  the 
sense  and  sensibility  which  runs  through  her 
letters  and  which  ruled  her  life.” — The  Speaker 
(London). 

“ A very  entertaining  book.”  — Chicago  Inter- 
Ocean. 

11  Of  all  the  1 historical  series  ’ lately  projected  there  is  none  that  pos- 
sesses greater  interest  than  the  Women  of  Colonial  and  Revolutionary 
Times.”  — Albany  Journal. 

ELIZA  PINCKNEY  (wife  of  Chief- Justice 
Pinckney,  of  South  Carolina).  By  Harriott 
Horry  Ravenel.  W itli  Facsimile  Reproduction, 
12mo,  $1.25. 

I — First  Years  in  Carolina  IX  — Death  of  Chief  Justice 

II  — Manners  and  Customs  Pinckney 

III  — A Country  Neighbor-  X — The  Indian  Wars 

hood  XI  — Letters  to  English  Friends 

IV  — Marriage  XII  — Domestic  and  Social  De- 

V  — The  Pinckney  Family  tails 

VI  — Earlj’ Married  Life  XIII  — Beginning  of  the  Revo- 

VII  — Motherhood  lution 

VIII  — Visit  to  England  XIV  — End  of  the  Revolution 

XV  — Old  Age  and  Death 

“ Mrs.  Ravenel’s  book  is  of  quite  exceptional 
value,  and  depicts  in  great  detail  and  with  an 
indescribable  charm  the  manners  and  customs  of 
a past  generation.  It  has  a decided  historical 
as  well  as  an  intimate  personal  interest.”  — Phil- 
adelphia Press. 

Charles  Scribner’s  Sons,  Publishers 
153-157  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York 

4 


Date  Due 

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Jul  25'33^ 

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L.  B.  Gat.  No.  1137 


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